Prosecutors drop New York rape charge against Weinstein

New York prosecutors have dropped an unresolved rape charge against Harvey Weinstein rather than try the former movie executive for a fourth time, ending a long-running case that had produced one overturned conviction and two deadlocked juries.

The decision does not free Weinstein. He remains convicted of another sexual felony in New York and of crimes in California, where he received a 16-year prison sentence. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thursday that prosecutors are recommending a 20-year sentence in the New York conviction involving former television production assistant Miriam Haley.

The dropped charge centered on Jessica Mann, a hair stylist and actor who accused Weinstein of raping her in a New York City hotel room in March 2013. Prosecutors said the decision followed discussions with Mann, who did not want to face the demands of another trial.

“To be clear, we believe Ms. Mann’s account and her credibility as a witness,” Bragg said in a statement. “This has been an extraordinarily taxing ordeal for her, and she has never wavered while testifying in front of two grand juries and three trial juries over the course of eight years. We thank her for her honesty and her tremendous bravery.”

Mann testified during the most recent trial that she had a consensual relationship with Weinstein and willingly had some sexual encounters with him, but that he forced her to have unwanted sex in 2013 despite her repeatedly saying no. CBS News reported that her testimony lasted nearly two hours and was emotional.

After that trial ended in May with a hung jury, Mann said the mistrial did not undermine her account. “Today’s decision to declare a mistrial doesn’t in any way detract from the truth I told and the violent crimes Harvey Weinstein committed upon me and so many others. I chose to testify in three trials because I am telling the truth,” she said.

The jury in May had deliberated for about three days before telling the judge it could not reach agreement. “We the jury request to let the judge know that the members of the jury have concluded that we cannot reach a unanimous decision,” jurors wrote.

Weinstein’s lawyers argued that his relationship with Mann was consensual, saying she continued to see him after the alleged assault and expressed warm feelings toward him. “The charges by Jessica Mann against Mr Weinstein should never have been brought as Harvey and Jessica were in a loving five-year relationship. The fact that three juries have heard this case without concluding Mr Weinstein committed a crime left the District Attorney with little choice but to dismiss the charges,” Weinstein’s lawyer said in a statement.

Juda S. Engelmayer, a representative for Weinstein, said, “Harvey is relieved by today’s outcome.” He added, “We believe this is the result that should have been reached from the outset, had the grand jury been presented with the full scope of the emails, text messages, and other private communications.”

Weinstein’s 2020 New York trial included testimony from Mann, Haley and model Kaja Sokola, who accused him of using his power in the entertainment industry to sexually abuse them. That conviction was overturned in 2024 after an appeals court found that the judge improperly allowed testimony from women whose allegations were not part of the case being tried.

A later trial involving Mann and Haley ended with Weinstein convicted of sexually assaulting Haley, while jurors deadlocked on the rape count involving Mann. A third trial on Mann’s allegation ended with another deadlock.

Weinstein has admitted he “acted wrongly” but denies ever assaulting anyone. The BBC reported that more than 100 women have accused him of sexual misconduct, assault or rape, though not all reports led to criminal charges.