Harvey Weinstein rape charge dropped after accuser declines fourth trial

Harvey Weinstein rape charge dropped after accuser declines fourth trial

New York prosecutors have dropped a third-degree rape charge against former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein after his accuser stated she could no longer endure the process of testifying. The decision, announced Thursday, June 25, 2026, concludes a years-long legal battle involving three separate trials and two hung juries.

The case centered on allegations that Weinstein raped Jessica Mann, an actor and hairstylist, in a Manhattan hotel room on March 18, 2013. According to testimony, the pair had planned to meet for breakfast in the lobby, but Weinstein had spontaneously taken a room. Mann told jurors that although she had a consensual, on-and-off relationship with Weinstein, she repeatedly said no to sexual activity and tried to leave the room as he cornered her. She testified that he demanded she undress and grabbed her arms until she was afraid to continue protesting.

Weinstein, 74, denied the charges, maintaining that all encounters with Mann were consensual. His legal team argued that the two had been in a loving five-year relationship and suggested the allegations were fabricated due to regret over the romance.

The legal proceedings were marked by repeated volatility. Weinstein was first convicted of raping Mann in 2020, but New York's highest court overturned that verdict in 2024, ruling that testimony from uncharged accusers had unfairly influenced the jury. A 2025 retrial ended in a mistrial after jury deliberations broke down. The most recent trial, held this spring, also ended in a mistrial in May after jurors spent three days deliberating before notifying Judge Curtis Farber that they could not reach a unanimous decision.

In a letter quoted in court, Mann wrote that the eight-year-old case had put me through more harm than good and that she had been fragmented, silenced, defamed and traumatized. She detailed a harrowing experience during the spring trial, noting she had suffered a concussion shortly before testifying. Mann reported experiencing headaches and a feeling of dissociation on the stand, which she described as a humiliating addition to an already crushing experience. She concluded that pursuing justice is better left a pipe dream.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg emphasized that the dismissal was not a reflection of Mann's credibility.

"To be clear, we believe Ms Mann’s account and her credibility as a witness,"

Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg told the court that while prosecutors hail Mann's bravery, strength, courage and inspiration, dismissal was appropriate given that Mann does not wish to testify a fourth trial and instead wants to heal and move forward with her life.

Weinstein’s lawyers reacted with relief. Lawyer Jacob Kaplan stated outside court that these charges should never have been brought to begin with and asserted that Weinstein is innocent. Spokesperson Juda Engelmayer added that the defense believes the result should have been reached from the outset had the grand jury seen the full scope of private communications, including emails and text messages.

Despite this dismissal, Weinstein remains behind bars. He stands convicted of a class B felony for violently sexually assaulting Miriam Haley, a former Project Runway production assistant. Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year prison term for that conviction. Additionally, Weinstein is due to serve 16 years in California for the rape of an Italian actor, a conviction he is currently appealing.

Weinstein, once a powerhouse producer of films such as Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, and Chocolat, saw his career collapse after sexual misconduct allegations became public in 2017, fueling the #MeToo movement. While he has admitted he acted wrongly, he has consistently denied assaulting anyone.

Weinstein is scheduled for sentencing in New York in September.