Harvey Weinstein's rape charge to be dropped by New York prosecutors, bringing closure to #MeToo case
New York prosecutors said on Thursday (June 25) they will no longer pursue a rape charge against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, ending efforts to
New York prosecutors said on Thursday (June 25) they will no longer pursue a rape charge against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, ending efforts to try him a fourth time in a landmark #MeToo-era case. The decision brings closure to the final unresolved charge in New York after years of legal battles, retrials and deadlocked juries. Prosecutors abandon retrial The charge stemmed from allegations by hairstylist and actor Jessica Mann, who accused Weinstein of raping her in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013. Weinstein was convicted on the charge in 2020, but that conviction was later overturned by an appeals court on procedural grounds unrelated to Mann's testimony.
Subsequent retrials failed to produce a verdict, with juries deadlocking in both 2025 and again this year. Prosecutors have now decided against pursuing another retrial. Weinstein remains behind bars Despite the dismissal of the rape charge, Weinstein remains incarcerated. He is still convicted on separate sexual assault-related charges in New York and California, which carry significantly longer prison sentences than the rape count that prosecutors have dropped. The rape charge itself was a lower-level felony punishable by up to four years in prison—less time than Weinstein has already served. Allegations by Jessica Mann Mann testified that she had an on-and-off consensual relationship with Weinstein but said the encounter at the center of the case was non-consensual.
According to her testimony, Weinstein cornered her in a hotel room, ignored her objections and forced himself on her despite repeated attempts to resist. During the most recent retrial, Mann spent five days on the witness stand and faced extensive questioning, including about personal notes she wrote shortly after the alleged incident. The proceedings appeared emotionally taxing, with court sessions ending early on at least one occasion after Mann said she was struggling to concentrate. Weinstein continues to deny accusations Weinstein has denied all allegations of sexual assault. His legal team has argued that all encounters with his accusers were consensual and that the relationships involved women seeking opportunities in the entertainment industry.
The former producer has maintained: "I acted wrongly, but I never assaulted anyone." Weinstein did not testify during any of the New York trials, though he publicly criticized the proceedings and argued he was treated unfairly. A central figure in the #MeToo movement Once one of Hollywood's most influential producers, Weinstein was behind acclaimed films including Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love and Chocolat.
The BriefWire