No Harvey Weinstein retrial on rape, sex assault charges

LOS ANGELES —
Los Angeles prosecutors told a judge Tuesday that they will not retry Harvey Weinstein on rape and sexual assault charges involving two women.

Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson announced the decision to Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench at a hearing in downtown Los Angeles. The judge dismissed the charges that a jury failed to reach an agreement on in December and said Weinstein would be returned to New York, where he was convicted in a similar case.

The Los Angeles jury convicted Weinstein, 70, of the rape and sexual assault of an Italian model and actor.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. That’s in addition to the 23-year sentence he is already serving for a similar conviction in New York.

Jurors could not reach unanimous verdicts on charges involving two accusers, a rape count and a sexual assault count involving Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and the wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and a sexual battery count against model Lauren Young.

Young said at the hearing Tuesday that she was disappointed prosecutors would not be moving forward with a retrial. Thompson said that Weinstein would likely only face an additional year in prison if retried on her count, and while he wanted all the victims to receive justice, that additional stretch was not worth another trial.

Weinstein was acquitted of a count of sexual battery against a massage therapist.

The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they identify themselves publicly, as the women named here have.

Weinstein’s New York conviction is under appeal and his attorneys plan to appeal his conviction here.

Lench denied a motion for a defense motion for a new trial before Weinstein’s sentencing. His lawyers argued that vital evidence was withheld from the jury.

Resources for sexual assault survivors in Canada

If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:

If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, you should call 911.

A full list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling can be found at ReeseCommunity.com. Resources in your community can be found by entering your postal code.

Helplines, legal services and locations that offer sexual assault kits in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia can be found here.

National Residential School Crisis Line: +1 866 925 4419

24-hour crisis line: 416 597 8808

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010

Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366

Sexual misconduct support for current or former members of the Armed Forces: +1 844 750 1648