Harvey Weinstein’s Rape Retrial Starts in New York Court

The retrial of Harvey Weinstein on a third-degree rape charge opened in Manhattan on Tuesday. The case had previously ended in a mistrial after a jury deadlocked last June.

Charges and alleged victim

Prosecutors say the charge involves Jessica Mann. Mann appeared in the 2015 romantic comedy This Isn’t Funny.

The count now before the court stems from allegations of third-degree rape.

Court process and jury selection

Judge Curtis Farber oversaw pre-trial rulings ahead of jury selection. He said the defence sought delays in the proceedings.

Selection to seat 12 jurors began on Tuesday. The process could take several days.

Related convictions and appeals

Weinstein remains jailed on other convictions. He is serving a 16-year term in California for the rape of a European actress more than a decade ago.

He is appealing that conviction, with a hearing set for 23 April. A separate 2020 conviction that led to a 23-year sentence was overturned in 2024 over procedural irregularities.

In the June trial, jurors found him guilty of sexual assault against producer Miriam Haley. That conviction is also under appeal. He was previously acquitted in a case involving actress Kaja Sokola.

Judge Farber has ruled Weinstein cannot be cross-examined about convictions that are currently on appeal.

Legal team and public statements

Weinstein has assembled a new defence team. Attorneys include Jacob Kaplan and Marc Agnifilo, who represents high-profile clients such as Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Spokesperson Juda Engelmayer told Filmogaz.com that Weinstein expects a fair process. Engelmayer said Weinstein hopes the facts will clear him.

Health and detention conditions

Weinstein, 74, uses a wheelchair because of health problems. He remains in custody at a New York jail.

He has said he faces threats and spends much time in solitary confinement. He told Filmogaz.com he was punched while waiting to use a prison phone and suffered head injuries.

The proceedings mark another chapter in Weinstein’s long legal battle since the 2017 allegations that helped spark the MeToo movement. The rape retrial in the New York court will proceed while other appeals continue.