Judge declares mistrial in outstanding charge against Harvey Weinstein amid jury room feud
The foreperson of the jury refused to return to deliberate the count amid a jury room feud.
'Deliberations became heated to such a degree I am obligated to declare a mistrial on the one count on which you didn't reach a verdict,' judge Curtis Farber told the court.
Weinstein's initial conviction, five years ago, seemed to cement the downfall of one of Hollywood's most powerful men in a pivotal moment for the #MeToo movement.
That conviction, however, was overturned last year and the case was sent back for retrial in the same Manhattan courthouse. Weinstein, 73, denies sexually assaulting or raping anyone.
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Weinstein was
yesterday found guilty of one count of sexual assault against one woman,
but was acquitted of the same offence against a different woman in the retrial. Jurors yesterday were unable to reach a verdict on a third charge.
The majority-female jury teetered on Wednesday as the male foreperson requested to speak to the judge about 'a situation' he found troubling. He previously complained on Monday that other jurors were pushing people to change their minds.
He also claimed that his fellow jurors had been talking about information beyond the charges, was being questioned in private.
While the jury was in court to hear the answer to an earlier request to re-hear the text of a rape law, the foreperson signalled to Judge Curtis Farber that he wanted to talk.
'He said words to the effect of, 'I can't go back in there with the other jurors',' Judge Farber explained later.
This is a breaking story with more information to follow.
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