Arabic version: المدعون يسعون لإسقاط تهمة اغتصاب وينشتاين بعد انسحاب المدعية

Manhattan prosecutors have moved to drop a third-degree rape charge against Harvey Weinstein after the woman accusing him declined to testify in a fourth trial. The accuser’s choice comes after a previous mistrial in May, where jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

According to The Guardian, the woman, Jessica Mann, had accused Weinstein of raping her in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013. She claimed that she resisted and repeatedly said ‘No’ during the alleged assault.

Weinstein, who is currently 74 years old, has pleaded not guilty to the charge and has consistently denied any allegations of non-consensual sex. A representative for Weinstein expressed relief at the prosecutors’ decision, asserting that the charge should never have been brought against him.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, noted that Mann had undergone an ‘extraordinarily taxing ordeal’ while testifying before two grand juries and three trial juries, leading to her decision not to testify again. In addition to moving to drop the charge, Bragg’s office also requested a 20-year prison sentence for Weinstein related to a separate conviction involving a production assistant.

Weinstein was previously convicted in 2020 for raping Mann and assaulting another woman, Miriam Haley. However, the state’s highest court later overturned that conviction, citing a lack of a fair trial. Despite the overturning of his conviction, Weinstein remains incarcerated due to his conviction in another case. More than 80 women have accused him of sexual harassment or misconduct, allegations that he continues to deny.