Weinstein Retrial Ends in Split Verdict, Mistrial on Rape Count
The Facts
- A New York judge declared a mistrial Thursday on a rape charge against Harvey Weinstein after the jury foreperson declined to continue deliberations, citing alleged threats from other jurors who he said told him they'd "meet [him] outside one day" and engaged in yelling and screaming.
- The jury reached a split verdict Wednesday, convicting Weinstein of first-degree criminal sexual act against former TV production assistant Miriam Haley, but acquitting him of the same charge involving former model Kaja Sokola, both related to 2006 incidents.
- Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced prosecutors will retry Weinstein for a third time on the rape charge involving actress Jessica Mann, who testified about an alleged 2013 assault in a Manhattan hotel room and confirmed her willingness to testify again.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Despite this minor setback, Weinstein will be tried again, and afterward, he will again be a convicted rapist in both California and New York. While Weinstein's lawyers will try to point out technical flaws in juror behavior, the legal and moral fact remains that Weinstein is a predator and deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail.
Establishment-critical narrative
The mistrial raises important questions about the broader Weinstein case. While even Weinstein has acknowledged past moral failings and personal misconduct, that alone does not equate to legal wrongdoing in every instance. Weinstein must undoubtedly be held accountable for any crimes he has committed — but that accountability must come through a fair and impartial legal process, not through a sham trial focused on making him a symbolic scapegoat for the #MeToo movement.
Public Figures
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