NEW YORK (AP) — Jurors in Harvey Weinsteinn’ssex crimes retrial seem like shifting previous some interpersonal tensions and specializing in one among his three accusers as deliberations stretch right into a fourth day Tuesday.
On the finish of Monday’s session, jurors requested to start out off Tuesday with digital copies of emails and different proof pertaining to Jessica Mann — the accuser with arguably essentially the most advanced historical past with Weinstein.
Throughout days of testimony, Mann stated the Oscar-winning film producer raped her in 2013 amid a consensual relationship that continued for years afterward. Weinstein’s legal professionals emphasised that she saved seeing him, accepting invites and sending heat messages to him. Mann stated she “compartmentalized” the ache he triggered her.
Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not responsible to all the costs within the case. Along with the rape cost, he is accused of sexually assaulting two different ladies, Mimi Haley and Kaja Sokola.
Weinstein did not testify throughout the present trial, however maintained via his attorneys that he had utterly consensual encounters together with his accusers, who needed his assist constructing present enterprise careers.
Weinstein was one of many film trade’s strongest figures till a sequence of sexual misconduct allegations in opposition to him turned public in 2017, fueling the #MeToo motion and finally resulting in legal expenses.
The jury is made up of seven ladies and 5 males. Their closed-door discussions started Thursday and apparently have been fractious at occasions.
One juror requested Friday to be excused as a result of he felt one member of the group was being handled unfairly. Monday started with two jurors giving contrasting takes on the environment within the deliberation room.
First, the foreperson complained to the choose, prosecutors and protection legal professionals that some jurors have been “pushing” others to vary their minds, speaking about Weinstein’s previous and going past the costs.
The foreperson did not specify what was stated. Trial proof has included some testimony about allegations outdoors the scope of the present expenses, comparable to mentions of the groundswell of claims in opposition to the ex-studio boss in 2017.
One other juror quickly requested to talk to the court docket. In her estimation, issues have been “going well” and jurors have been ”making headway.” By the top of Monday, the jury as a complete stated in a observe that it was “making good progress.”
Weinstein initially was convicted in New York in 2020 of raping Mann and forcing oral intercourse on Haley. Sokola’s allegation was added final 12 months, after New York state’s highest court docket overturned the 2020 conviction and despatched the case again for retrial.
In the meantime, Weinstein is interesting a 2022 rape conviction in Los Angeles.
The Related Press usually doesn’t establish individuals with out their permission if they are saying they’ve been sexually assaulted. Sokola, Mann and Haley have agreed to be named.
