Harvey Weinstein’s third New York rape trial ends in mistrial

Harvey Weinstein’s third trial in New York over allegations he used his Hollywood clout to prey upon and sexually abuse women ended ‌in a mistrial on Friday, after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on a charge he raped the aspiring actress Jessica Mann.

Weinstein, 74, was a top film producer until sexual misconduct allegations led to his downfall and fuelled a wider social movement that encouraged women to come forward with accounts of sexual abuse by ⁠powerful men.

The case, brought by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, centred on allegations that Weinstein ‌raped Mann in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 while Mann resisted and repeatedly said “No”.

Weinstein had pleaded not guilty to one count of third-degree ‌rape and has denied assaulting anyone or having non-consensual sex.

His lawyers have ⁠argued that Mann ⁠fabricated the rape allegation after regretting that her consensual romance with Weinstein failed to advance her film career.

At his ‌first trial in New York in 2020, Weinstein was convicted of raping Mann and assaulting one-time production assistant Miriam Haley ‌in 2006. ‌