Weinstein jury deliberations to run into a second week

JURORS in the trial of Harvey Weinstein could be unable to reach a verdict on the most serious charges, it emerged last night.

The New York courtroom was poised for a verdict when it appeared that a decision may have been reached in the Hollywood mogul’s trial.

The 12-person jury sent Judge James Burke a note, asking if they could declare themselves unable to agree on counts one and three – the two most serious counts, for predatory sexual assault – and unanimous on the other three counts.

If they were unanimous in deciding him guilty on counts two, four and five, Weinstein’s sentence would have ranged from probation to 25 years. If they unanimously found him guilty on counts one and three, however, he could be sent to prison for life.

But after consulting prosecutors and Weinstein’s lawyers, the judge told the jury of seven men and five women to keep working toward a unanimous verdict on all charges and sent them back to continue deliberating. Weinstein’s lawyers said they would accept a partial verdict, but prosecutors said no and Judge Burke refused to do so.

Weinstein’s trial began on Jan 6, and jurors heard three weeks of harrowing evidence before retiring to consider their verdict on Tuesday.

Their inability to reach a conclusion so far now means that the jury deliberations will run into a second week.