Jurors Claim Bullying Led to Weinstein Conviction
Lawyers for former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein argue that two jurors who convicted him experienced intimidation from fellow jurors, leading to regrets about their decision.
In a court affidavit submitted on Tuesday, these jurors recount being yelled at and threatened during heated deliberations that resulted in Weinstein being found guilty on one of three charges in June.
“We regret the verdict,” stated one anonymous juror in the affidavit. “I think the jury might have reserved charges against Miriam Haley if it hadn’t been for the pressure from others.”
Weinstein, now 73, was convicted of sexual battery for assaulting Miriam Haley, a television and film production assistant. He was acquitted of a second charge involving former model and psychotherapist Kaya Sokola, while a mistrial was declared on the most severe rape charge connected to Jessica Mann.
The jurors expressed that if secret ballots had been allowed, they would have voted not guilty on all counts. “If we had been able to vote by secret ballot, we would have returned a verdict of not guilty on all three charges,” the affidavit noted, as reported.
Allegations of shouting from other jurors, such as “We have to get rid of you guys,” surfaced during the deliberation process. One juror even described a threatening encounter with another member when civility was requested by the presiding judge.
“When I got home, I called two family members and warned them that something felt off during deliberations,” another juror mentioned. “In the end, I voted with the majority because I was so afraid and concerned about my own safety.”
Additionally, accusations arose within the jury that one member might have been bribed by Weinstein. This claim shifted the deliberations from a tie to a unanimous decision.
During the trial, deliberations were described as chaotic and resembling “playground drama,” with the jury foreman testifying about being bullied and threatened.
“Jury deliberations can get heated, and this one was particularly intense, which is unfortunate,” noted Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber before calling a mistrial on the rape charge.
Post-trial, two jurors disagreed with the foreman’s perspective. Juror number 10 voiced complaints about the foreman’s behavior, stating, “Everything he did was despicable.”
Weinstein was found guilty of sexual assault in a second trial in New York after an earlier conviction was overturned. He has yet to be sentenced for the June conviction.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed a mistrial had been declared on the rape charge and indicated readiness to retry the case. Meanwhile, Weinstein’s lawyers are working to vacate his first-degree sex offense conviction and are appealing a separate California case.
