New York prosecutors seek to drop Harvey Weinstein rape charge
Accuser declines to testify in fourth trial after May mistrial with prosecutors citing her ‘extraordinarily taxing ordeal’
TL;DR
- Prosecutors are moving to drop a third-degree rape charge against Harvey Weinstein.
- The accuser, Jessica Mann, declined to testify in what would have been a fourth trial.
- Weinstein's third trial over this charge ended in a mistrial in May.
- Mann accused Weinstein of rape in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013.
- Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and denies all allegations of non-consensual sex.
- His representative stated Weinstein was relieved and believed the charge should never have been filed.
- The Manhattan district attorney's office cited the 'extraordinarily taxing ordeal' for Mann.
- Prosecutors are also seeking to sentence Weinstein to 20 years for sexually assaulting Miriam Haley.
- Weinstein's previous conviction for raping Mann and assaulting Haley in 2020 was overturned due to an unfair trial.
- Weinstein has remained incarcerated since his overturned conviction due to another case.
- Over 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, which he denies.