Sawt Falasteen - Tensions flare among jurors in Weinstein sex crimes retrial

As court proceedings resumed in the New York courtroom, Judge Curtis Farber read aloud two notes sent to him by the 12-member jury deliberating behind closed doors.

In the first note, a juror expressed a desire to talk to Farber "about the situation that isn't very good."

In the second, jurors wrote they "request the entire definition of reasonable doubt and rules of the jury especially to avoid a hung jury."

A hung jury occurs when a judge acknowledges that jurors have been unable to reach a unanimous decision after several days of deliberations. In that case, a mistrial is declared and a new trial may be held.

On Monday morning, Weinstein, whose downfall in 2017 sparked the global #MeToo movement, looked on impassively from his wheelchair, as the judge, prosecutors and his lawyers engaged in tense discussions.

The jury must decide whether Weinstein -- accused by dozens of women of being a sexual predator -- is guilty of sexual assaults in 2006 on Miriam Haley and former model Kaja Sokola, and of rape in 2013 of then-aspiring actress Jessica Mann.

Weinstein is on trial again after a New York state appeals court threw out his 2020 convictions, citing irregularities in the original proceedings. The former movie industry titan's 23-year prison sentence for the initial conviction was thrown out, but he remains imprisoned for separate offenses.

On Friday, one juror came forward to report tensions between his fellow panelists, alleging "people are being shunned. It's playground stuff."

He asked to resign as a juror, but Farber denied his request.

Responding to the situation, Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala called for a mistrial, but the judge refused his request.

At midday Monday, another juror sought to deliver a message of reassurance that matters had calmed down.

"Things are going well, the tone is very different today, we are finding headways," she told the judge, who appeared to breathe a sigh of relief.

During the trial, the three alleged victims testified for several days, recounting how the powerful movie producer had forced them into sexual relations after luring them to his apartment or a hotel room in New York.

On Wednesday, prosecutor Nicole Blumberg summarized the evidence of the three alleged victims by saying simply: "He raped three women, they all said no."

The Hollywood figure had "all the power" and "all the control" over the alleged victims, which is why jurors should find him guilty, she said.

"The defendant thought the rules did not apply to him, now it is the time to let him know that the rules apply to him."

Weinstein did not take the stand but conceded in an interview with FOX5 television on Friday that he had acted "immorally." He insisted he did nothing criminal, however.

Weinstein's defense team has suggested the women accused him to score a payday from a legal settlement or criminal damages.

T.Ibrahim--SF-PST