By T.L. Reigns

The Scoop Digital Newspaper: June 2025

Harvey Weinstein retrial:

Background: Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction in New York for rape and sexual assault was a significant event for the #MeToo movement.

Conviction Overturned: In April 2024, New York’s top court overturned this conviction, citing improper allowance of testimony from accusers whose cases were not part of the charges.

Retrial: The retrial commenced on April 23, 2025, in the same Manhattan courthouse.

New Charge: An additional sex crime charge was added in the retrial.

Opening statements begin. 

Prosecutors outline allegations of rape and sexual assault involving three women, emphasizing Weinstein’s alleged abuse of power. 

The defense counters, asserting that all encounters were consensual and challenging the credibility of the accusers.

Trial Duration: The trial concluded after just over five weeks.

Jury Deliberations: Deliberations began on June 5, 2025.

Partial Verdict: On June 11, 2025, the jury reached a partial verdict: found Weinstein guilty of criminal sexual assault against Miriam Haley, not guilty of criminal sexual assault regarding Kaja Sokola, and did not reach a verdict on the third-degree rape charge related to Jessica Mann.

On June 11, 2025, jurors deliberating in the retrial of disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein announced Wednesday that they had reached a unanimous verdict, finding him guilty of sexually assaulting one woman and acquitting him of charges related to a second woman stemming from incidents over a decade ago.

However, the panel told Judge Curtis Farber they remained divided on the accusations involving a third woman. Judge Farber dismissed them for the day and directed them to return on Thursday to continue their deliberations.

Ongoing Deliberations: The jury was scheduled to continue deliberations on the remaining charge on Thursday.

Weinstein’s Defense: His lawyers maintained that encounters were consensual and that accusers were motivated by fame and money.

Weinstein Did Not Testify: 

As in his first trial, Weinstein did not testify in the retrial.

Health Concerns: The 73-year-old Weinstein has experienced various health issues.

California Conviction Still Stands: Despite the New York outcome, Weinstein is still serving a 16-year sentence from his 2022 California conviction, which he is also appealing. 

Key Players and Charges:

Accusers: Miriam Haley, Jessica Mann, and Kaja Sokola.

Charges: Criminal sexual act in the first degree (regarding Miriam Haley and Kaja Sokola) and Rape in the third degree (regarding Jessica Mann). 

Significance:

The retrial underscores ongoing legal debates surrounding the #MeToo movement and the use of “prior bad acts” evidence in sexual assault cases.

The split verdict has generated discussion about the future of the #MeToo movement. 

On June 13, the jury couldn’t deliberate anymore when the jury foreman refused to join them.

Judge Farber declared a mistrial after the jury was deadlocked on the count of third-degree rape. 

The prosecutors will try Weinstein again on the third-degree rape charge.

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The Scoop Digital Newspaper
thescoop@writeme.com