June 4 (UPI) — A jury is deciding whether former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein likely will spend the rest of his life in prison after beginning deliberations in his rape retrial on Wednesday.
The New York jury of seven women and five men heard closing arguments on Tuesday and Wednesday as the six-week trial concluded in a lower Manhattan courtroom.
Weinstein, 73, is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual act and one count of third-degree rape.
Prosecutors argued Weinstein used his position in the film industry as co-founder and studio boss at Miramax to control three women who accused him of criminal sexual conduct at different times from 2006 to 2013.
Weinstein’s attorneys argued the acts were consensual.
Prosecutors had 24 witnesses testify against Weinstein, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges and did not take the stand.
He was tried and convicted of rape and criminal sexual assault by a New York jury and sentenced to 23 years in prison five years ago.
An appellate court last year ruled 4-3 in favor of Weinstein, whose attorneys argued the judge in his prior trial allowed “irrelevant” and “prejudicial” testimony and evidence that was unrelated to the alleged crimes.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg immediately announced his office would retry the case after the appellate court overturned the prior conviction.
Even if found innocent, Weinstein still would stay imprisoned due to a conviction on similar charges in California. Weinstein has appealed that ruling.
He is being held at Rikers Island until a verdict is entered in his retrial.
