- Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers told a Manhattan judge he is weighing a guilty plea to a third-degree rape charge tied to Jessica Mann.
- Weinstein has denied he assaulted anyone, saying he acknowledges being unfaithful but not criminal.
- A retrial on the Mann charge is tentatively scheduled to begin March 3; a 2020 conviction was overturned in 2024 and a later jury deadlocked.
- Judge Curtis Farber rejected a bid to dismiss Weinstein’s conviction on a separate charge brought by Miriam Haley and will delay sentencing until the Mann case is resolved.
Weinstein’s legal team signals possible plea to avoid another trial
Harvey Weinstein is considering pleading guilty to a third-degree rape charge tied to an allegation by Jessica Mann, his attorney told a Manhattan court. The announcement came during a hearing Jan. 8 in downtown Manhattan as defense lawyer Arthur Aidala discussed the possibility of a plea deal to end the pending retrial.
Charge stems from 2013 hotel encounter
The Mann allegation concerns an incident in March 2013 at a New York hotel. Weinstein has repeatedly denied nonconsensual conduct, telling Judge Curtis Farber in court, “I know I was unfaithful and acted wrongly, but I never assaulted anyone.”
Case history and recent developments
Weinstein was convicted in early 2020 on charges related to Mann, but that conviction was overturned by a New York appeals court in 2024. A retrial last year ended without a verdict on the Mann charge when jurors failed to reach agreement.
At that retrial, jurors found Weinstein guilty of a separate first-degree criminal sexual act allegation brought by Miriam Haley, a former production assistant on “Project Runway.” The jury acquitted him on a second count tied to an allegation by Kaja Sokola.
Judge rejects motion to dismiss Haley conviction
Weinstein’s legal team had asked Judge Farber to dismiss the Haley conviction, alleging juror misconduct, bullying and other improper behavior during deliberations. Farber rejected the motion and said he believed the second trial had been fair.
Prosecutor Nicole Blumberg urged the court to proceed with sentencing on the Haley conviction, arguing Haley “deserves closure.” Farber declined to sentence Weinstein immediately and said he would wait until the Mann charge is resolved. The court tentatively set a new trial date for March 3.
Weinstein’s remarks from Rikers
Speaking from custody, Weinstein described the conditions at Rikers Island and the toll of 19 months in detention. “The weight of justice grows heavier after 19 months at Rikers,” he told the judge, saying his isolation has been “soul-crushing” and that his mental state was collapsing.
Next steps
If Weinstein pursues a plea on the third-degree rape charge, it could resolve the pending Mann retrial and affect whether the court proceeds immediately with sentencing on the Haley conviction. For now, the March 3 trial date remains on the calendar and the judge has not finalized a change in schedule.
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