New York prosecutors on Thursday dropped third-degree rape charges against Harvey Weinstein after two juries failed to reach a verdict on the allegations.
The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that accuser Jessica Mann does not want to testify at the disgraced tycoon’s fourth trial.
“To be clear, we believe in Ms. Mann’s testimony and credibility as a witness,” Manhattan Borough Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “This was a very taxing ordeal for her, but she never wavered during her eight years of testimony before two grand juries and three trial juries. We thank her for her integrity and tremendous courage.”
Ms Mann gave a statement to the court, saying after the trial it became clear that she “couldn’t take it anymore”.
“In my fight for justice, justice took almost a decade of my life and did more harm than good,” she wrote. “Justice is now removed from the courts and placed solely in the hands of God.”
Weinstein was convicted last year in a separate case of sexual assault against Miriam Haley, a former “Project Runway” production assistant. Prosecutors announced Thursday that they will seek a 20-year prison sentence from Judge Curtis Farber on the charges.
Weinstein was originally convicted of assaulting Mann and Haley in 2020, but that verdict was overturned by the state Supreme Court in a 4-3 vote in 2024. At a retrial in June 2025, Weinstein was again found guilty of assaulting Haley, but jurors were unable to reach a verdict on Mann’s claim that he raped her at a Manhattan hotel. 2013.
Prosecutors retried the case in May, but the jury again failed to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial. Mr. Weinstein’s defense relied on a series of friendly text and email exchanges between Mr. Mann and Mr. Weinstein, arguing that the two had a consensual relationship.
“Mr. Harvey is relieved by today’s results,” spokeswoman Judah Engelmayer said. “We believe this should have been concluded from the beginning if the grand jury had been presented with the full extent of the emails, text messages and other personal communications.”
Weinstein, 74, was originally sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020 for assaulting Haley and Mann and has been in custody ever since. His lawyers will argue that Farber was a model inmate and will seek a reduced sentence.
Mr. Weinstein is also serving a 16-year sentence for a separate rape conviction in Los Angeles.
