Daijiworld Media Network - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, Jun 12: Former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted Wednesday on one count of committing a criminal sexual act, while being acquitted on another, in his high-profile retrial in New York City.

The verdict, delivered by a predominantly female jury, found Weinstein guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Miriam Haley. However, he was acquitted of charges related to Kaja Sokola, and the jury remained deadlocked on a third allegation involving Jessica Mann. Deliberations on that unresolved count will continue Thursday.

The retrial, which began in April, revisited sexual assault allegations from three women who testified in court. Weinstein faced two counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree and one count of third-degree rape.

As jurors struggled to reach consensus, tensions in the deliberation room erupted into open conflict. Weinstein personally appealed to Judge Curtis Farber, requesting a mistrial and claiming juror discord was compromising the fairness of the trial.

“This is my life on the line,” Weinstein declared in court. “I’m not getting a fair trial,” he insisted, accusing the judge of placing him in danger.

Earlier in the day, the jury foreperson reported significant friction among panel members, including threats and shouting. According to the judge, one juror told another, “I’ll meet you outside one day,” prompting concerns about juror safety and impartiality.

Defense attorney Arthur Aidala described the situation as “menacing and harassment,” asserting that a crime had been committed against his client within the jury room itself.

Despite the turbulent atmosphere, the court proceeded with announcing the partial verdict, marking another dramatic chapter in Weinstein’s legal saga and the ongoing reckoning in the entertainment industry.