The rape retrial of convicted sex offender and disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein has ended in a mistrial.
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According to Fox News Digital, Weinstein was previously convicted of other sex crimes on two U.S. coasts. He also remains in prison for his other convictions.
The latest mistrial was over the New York rape charges. Weinstein was previously accused of raping hairstylist Jessica Mann in 2013.
However, in the latest retrial, jurors were deadlocked over whether he was guilty of the crime. Following the mistrial, Weinstein’s spokesperson issued a statement.
“After hearing the testimony three separate times, and after two different juries were unable to reach a unanimous decision, maybe it’s time for the District Attorney to stop retrying the same case and focus resources on the actual crimes impacting New Yorkers every day,” the statement reads.
During the retrial, Weinstein’s lawyers stated the encounter with Mann was consensual. They also pointed out that Mann continued to see Weinstein and “expressed warmth” towards him.
Mann later became one of the women who came forward against Weinstein during the 2017 #MeToo movement. This was the third time Weinstein was tried for the incident.
Mann Speaks Out After the Mistrial
Mann shared her reaction to the mistrial, stating that the jury’s deadlock situation did not “detract from the truth.” The mistrial also doesn’t detract from the “violent crimes” Weinstein had allegedly committed upon her and others.
“I chose to testify in three trials because I am telling the truth,” she said. “For years, I have had to relive some of the hardest moments of my life while facing attempts to shame, humiliate, and discredit me in open court. I submitted myself to the highest standards, transparency, and accountability in coming forward through the justice system – choosing integrity even when the process flayed me open.”
“The power of predators remains too great,” Mann added. “I deserve justice, which is why I stand up and face unbearable public scrutiny in the name of a greater good – a world where predators are not in power.”
New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg stated that his office is disappointed that the retrial proceedings ended in a mistrial.
“We deeply respect the jury system and sincerely thank all of the jurors for their time and dedication,” Briggs shared. “For nearly a decade, Jessica Mann has fought for justice. Over the course of many weeks during three separate trials, she relived unthinkably painful experiences in front of complete strangers.”
The statement concluded, “Her perseverance and bravery are inspiring to the members of my office, and more importantly, to survivors everywhere.”