A US judge declared a mistrial in the trial of disgraced cinema mogul Harvey Weinstein after jurors again failed to reach a verdict on allegations he sexually assaulted actor Jessica Mann, prosecutors said.
Weinstein, a central figure of abuse allegations that spurred the MeToo movement, is already in prison for other sex offences, so he will remain behind bars despite the end of this case.
“While we are disappointed that the proceedings ended with a mistrial, we deeply respect the jury system and sincerely thank all of the jurors for their time and dedication. For nearly a decade, Jessica Mann has fought for justice,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said.
‘Offer to mentor’
It was the third time Mann has taken the stand against Weinstein after a 2020 guilty verdict was overturned because of mishandling of witnesses, and a 2025 case ended in mistrial after a jury-room feud.
“I felt like he was a really nice person and he was offering to mentor me,” Mann told the jury in New York’s Manhattan Supreme Court last month.
She recalled how he showered her with compliments after the pair met at a party in early 2013, when Mann was an aspiring 27-year-old actor and Weinstein a Hollywood powerbroker.
“He told me that I was prettier than Natalie Portman,” she said.
She added that Weinstein’s apparent interest in boosting her career, including buying her books on acting, initially seemed like a “miracle”.
The 40-year-old’s testimony – much of which echoed the 2020 and 2025 cases – was emotional and she took occasional pauses as her voice broke.
The Oscar-winning Weinstein, 74, is already serving a 16-year prison term for the rape of a European actor more than a decade ago. He is appealing that conviction.
He is also appealing a conviction last June of sexual assault against movie producer Miriam Haley.
In 2017, blockbuster investigations by the New Yorkerand the New York Times laid bare a series of claims by young women that triggered an avalanche of allegations from more than 80 complainants and prompted the global MeToo movement.
- AFP