Harvey Weinstein's rape retrial to open Wednesday with majority-female
jury
[April 23, 2025]
By JENNIFER PELTZ
NEW YORK (AP) — Opening statements are set for Wednesday in former movie
mogul Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial, this time with a majority-female
jury deciding the landmark #MeToo case.
After a dayslong selection process yielded a seven-woman, five-man jury
and five alternate jurors by Monday, prosecutors and Weinstein’s lawyers
finished choosing a sixth and final alternate on Tuesday. Alternates
step in if a member of the main panel can’t see the trial through.
The main jury is more female than the five women and seven men who
convicted Weinstein at his first trial five years ago. The verdict
marked a signature moment for the #MeToo movement against sexual
misconduct, which had been fueled in 2017 by a slew of allegations
against Weinstein, then a high-flying movie producer of a string of
Oscar winners including “Pulp Fiction” and “Shakespeare in Love.”
But in a reversal that dismayed #MeToo activists, New York’s highest
court last year overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction and 23-year
prison sentence. The court found that the original trial judge allowed
prejudicial testimony. That judge’s term expired in 2022, and he is no
longer on the bench.
Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty and denies raping or sexually
assaulting anyone.
Drawn from Manhattan’s jury pool, the 12 members of the main jury for
the New York retrial include a physics researcher, a photographer, a
dietitian, a therapist, an investment bank software engineer and a fire
safety director. Others have experience in real estate, TV commercials,
debt collection, social work and other fields.
One has a high school equivalency degree. Others have master’s degrees.
Some have served as jurors or grand jurors multiple times before;
others, never.
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Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan as jury
selection continues in his retrial on Monday, April 21, 2025 in New
York. (Curtis Means/Pool Photo via AP)
 Hundreds of other potential jurors
were excused for reasons ranging from language barriers to strong
opinions about Weinstein — “the first word that came in my head was
‘pig,’” said one man who was soon let go.
Those chosen were quizzed about their backgrounds, life experiences
and various other points that could relate to their ability to be
fair and impartial about the highly publicized case.
“You may hear sexual allegations here of a salacious nature —
graphic, perhaps. Would hearing that indicate that … Mr. Weinstein
must be guilty?” defense attorney Mike Cibella asked one prospective
juror on Monday. The woman, who ultimately was chosen, answered no.
Prosecutor Shannon Lucey sought assurances that prospective jurors
could put aside any position or feelings they had about the #MeToo
movement.
“Is there anyone who is going to think of the movement and think,
‘OK, that’s just something that I have to keep in the back of my
mind when I’m deciding this case’? Everyone can put that aside?”
Lucey asked a group of 24 possible jurors. All indicated they could
do so.
Weinstein’s rape and sexual assault retrial involves accusations
from three women: an aspiring actor who said he raped her in 2013,
and two women who made separate allegations of forced oral sex in
2006. One of the two wasn’t part of the original trial.
Meanwhile, Weinstein is challenging a separate 2022 rape conviction
in Los Angeles.
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