Manhattan prosecutors on Thursday moved to drop a third-degree rape charge against Harvey Weinstein after the woman accusing him of assault declined to testify in what would have been a fourth trial. The office of District Attorney Alvin Bragg stated that testifying before two grand juries and three trial juries had been an 'extraordinarily taxing ordeal' for the accuser, Jessica Mann, and she did not wish to take the stand again.
Mistrial and prior proceedings
Weinstein's third trial in New York state court over the allegation that he raped Mann, an aspiring actress, ended in a mistrial in May after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict. Mann accused Weinstein of raping her in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 while she resisted and repeatedly said 'No.' Weinstein, 74, had pleaded not guilty to one count of third-degree rape and has denied assaulting anyone or having non-consensual sex.
Weinstein's response and other charges
A representative for Weinstein said on Thursday that he was relieved by the outcome and believed the charge never should have been brought. Bragg's office also asked the court to sentence Weinstein to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting one-time production assistant Miriam Haley. Weinstein was convicted of raping Mann and assaulting Haley at his first trial in New York in 2020, but the state's highest court overturned the conviction after concluding he did not get a fair trial. Weinstein, a former film producer and co-founder of Miramax, has remained behind bars since his conviction was overturned due to a conviction in another case. More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual harassment or misconduct, allegations he denies.
