Redo of #MeToo

Harvey Weinstein’s retrial on sex crime charges begins with jury selection today in Manhattan. The 73-year-old faces accusations of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi (2006), raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann (2013), and a new allegation of forced oral sex at a Manhattan hotel (2006). Opening statements could begin as early as April 22, with the trial expected to last up to six weeks.

Weinstein’s 2020 conviction, which included guilty verdicts for assaulting Haleyi and raping Mann, was overturned in April 2024 by a New York appeals court. The court found the jury had been unfairly influenced by testimony from women whose allegations were not part of the formal charges. The retrial will feature fewer witnesses and tighter rules on testimony language.

Weinstein is serving a 16-year sentence in California following a separate 2023 conviction for rape and assault. He has denied all allegations and maintains that all sexual encounters were consensual.