Manhattan prosecutors have moved to drop a third-degree rape charge against movie producer Harvey Weinstein after his accuser said she no longer wished to testify. The decision ended what could have been a fourth New York trial in the long-running sexual assault case.
The charge related to allegations by aspiring actress Jessica Mann, who accused Weinstein of raping her in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013. A third trial over the allegation ended in a mistrial in May after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Mann had endured an “extraordinarily taxing ordeal” after testifying before two grand juries and three trial juries over the course of eight years.
Prosecutors said her decision not to testify again was central to their request to dismiss the charge. Despite dropping the case, Bragg’s office said it still believed Mann’s account.
Jessica Mann was one of the central witnesses in Weinstein’s landmark 2020 trial, where prosecutors argued he used his influence in the film industry to manipulate and assault women. Her testimony was widely seen as pivotal in securing his conviction on rape and sexual assault charges before that verdict was overturned.
Weinstein, 74, had pleaded not guilty to the charge and has consistently denied assaulting anyone or engaging in non-consensual sex.
Although the rape charge has now been dropped, prosecutors have asked the court to sentence Weinstein to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting former production assistant Miriam Haley.
Weinstein’s 2020 conviction for raping Mann and assaulting Haley was overturned by New York’s highest court, which ruled he had not received a fair trial.
Weinstein remains imprisoned because of both his California conviction (16 years) and his separate New York conviction involving Miriam Haley, for which sentencing is still pending. More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual harassment or misconduct, allegations he denies.
Weinstein’s legal battles have become a defining symbol of the #MeToo movement, which gained global momentum in 2017 after dozens of women came forward with allegations against the former Hollywood producer.
The accusations helped expose systemic abuse of power in the entertainment industry and led to a wave of similar cases worldwide.
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