Harvey Weinstein’s third Manhattan sex crime trial ended today with yet another hung jury, as four women on the panel voted to clear him of raping actress Jessica Mann in 2013.
The deadlock reportedly happened just after 1:00 p.m. today, marking the second time a jury could not reach a unanimous decision in this situation. Reports indicate that 9 out of the 12 jurors were prepared to acquit Weinstein, including all of the female jurors. Three male jurors reportedly remained firmly committed to conviction, and neither side was willing to budge. With that, the former Miramax executive now faces another hung jury.
Jurors were reportedly upset that they could not come back with a verdict, with tensions and heated debates breaking out during deliberations. In many ways, it sounds exactly like 12 Angry Men… and in cases like this, perhaps it should. That is the way the justice system was designed to work. Debate, disagreement, and scrutiny are all part of the process. But in this particular case, an agreement simply could not be reached.
