Harvey Weinstein judge declares mistrial on rape charge

The judge overseeing Harvey Weinstein's criminal case in Manhattan declared a mistrial on a rape charge on Thursday.

The decision came a day after the former Hollywood movie mogul was convicted on a felony sex abuse charge.

Justice Curtis Farber ended the trial after the jury foreperson refused to continue deliberations, following multiple days of reported dissension among jurors that at times was aired in the courtroom.

Prosecutors plan to try Weinstein a third time on the charge of third-degree rape, over his alleged mistreatment of the aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. Farber said the case will proceed to trial, and set a hearing for July 2.

The jury on Wednesday convicted Weinstein on a separate charge of first-degree criminal sexual act, over his alleged assault of former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006.

Jurors acquitted him of the same charge over his alleged assault of aspiring actress Kaja Sokola in 2002.

Weinstein, 73, had pleaded not guilty to all three criminal counts, and has denied assaulting anyone or having non-consensual sex.

He plans to appeal his conviction, which carries a maximum prison term of 25 years.

His lawyer Arthur Aidala told reporters outside the courthouse that "we have very powerful evidence of gross jury misconduct at this trial," including that they improperly considered outside evidence concerning Weinstein's conduct.

Weinstein is separately appealing a 2022 rape conviction in California, for which he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

He has had many health problems, and attended the Manhattan trial in a wheelchair.

Because of the California conviction, Weinstein has been in custody in the months leading up to the Manhattan trial, both at the notorious Rikers Island jail and in a Manhattan hospital. The trial began on April 23...Reuters