Jurors in the Harvey Weinstein rape trial ended deliberations Tuesday without a verdict.
Earlier today, jurors in Lower Manhattan’s New York Supreme Court asked the presiding judge about emails marked in flagged red, apparently sent from Weinstein to his private investigator, regarding women who were on his “priority” investigation list.
The jurors also asked why actress Annabella Sciorra was connected to the “predatory sex-assault”case and not as a standalone victim.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, jurors were told to take into account the testimony of Sciorra, who said she was raped by Weinstein in the 1990s. Although Sciorra’s case passed the statute of limitations to allow criminal charges in her alleged rape, a judge allowed her account of what happened to be taken into consideration.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice James Burke told the jurors to avoid speculation, according to Page Six.
“You must consider only the charges that are before you,” Burke said.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Donna Rotunno, argued last week that the prosecution didn’t have enough evidence to convict her client, claiming that the accusers live in an “alternative universe.”
“In their story, they have created a universe that strips adult women of common sense, autonomy and responsibility,” Rotunno said. “It is offensive, actually.”
On Tuesday, Burke denied the defense’s request to dismiss a juror who previously wrote an online review about a book involving a sexual predator. When the judge declined to replace the juror with an alternate, Weinstein’s other lawyer, Damon Cheronis, argued for a mistrial, according to Deadline.
“Almost goes without saying,” the judge said after denying the mistrial request.
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[Feature Photo: Harvey Weinstein via AP/Mary Altaffer]
