The third trial for Harvey Weinstein concerning sex crimes kicks off in Manhattan this Tuesday. The infamous Hollywood figure is once again trying to defend his reputation against allegations that he raped a former actress.
This time, only one accuser, Jessica Mann, will take the stand at Manhattan Supreme Court. Mann recounts meeting Weinstein in late 2012 when she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her acting aspirations.
She alleges that he raped her over a decade ago in a hotel room in New York City.
The 74-year-old Weinstein faces a single charge of third-degree rape. This comes after jurors in his retrial last year were unable to reach a decision on this charge following a week filled with tensions during deliberations.
Jury selection is set for Tuesday, with the trial anticipated to last about two weeks.
Despite his complaints about health issues while on Rikers Island, Weinstein briefly considered accepting a plea deal to dodge a third trial but ultimately opted to proceed with it.
This marks the third occasion that Mann will testify about the incident on March 18, 2013, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Midtown.
Weinstein, previously the head of Miramax, faced his first trial in 2020 when he was convicted of raping Mann. Prosecutors accused him of exploiting vulnerable women aiming to advance their careers.
Although Weinstein faced no new charges, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. However, the New York State Supreme Court overturned this conviction in April 2024, citing that the trial judge had improperly compelled three additional women to testify.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg retried Weinstein last spring, introducing a new accuser, former Polish model Kaya Sokola.
During that retrial, Mann broke down on the stand, detailing her experience of alleged rape by Weinstein, even mentioning a drug needle she found in a trash bin afterward.
Despite the emotional testimony, jurors couldn’t come to a consensus regarding the rape allegation against Mann.
They did find Weinstein guilty of first-degree sexual assault in a case involving Miriam “Mimi” Haley, a former TV production assistant, but acquitted him concerning the allegations from Sokola.
Weinstein is currently awaiting sentencing for that conviction, which is expected after this upcoming trial concludes.
For his defense, Weinstein has hired Mark Agnifilo and Jacob Kaplan, lawyers known for representing several high-profile clients, after ending his long-time collaboration with attorney Arthur Aidala earlier this year.
The trial will be overseen by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber.
