### Weinstein Juror Raises Concerns of Misconduct During Deliberations

As the jury in Harvey Weinstein's retrial on sex crime charges in Manhattan began their second day of deliberations, an unexpected drama unfolded. On Friday, a young male juror reported to the judge that he believed some of his fellow jurors were exhibiting misconduct.

The juror expressed his frustration to Justice Curtis Farber of the State Supreme Court, explaining that he had overheard some jurors talking about another member of the group in an elevator and outside the courthouse the previous day. This, he felt, amounted to inappropriate behavior that could affect the fairness of the trial.

Judge Farber thanked the juror for raising the concern but decided against declaring a mistrial. Weinstein's defense attorneys had filed a motion for a mistrial, but the judge noted that the discussions cited did not appear to involve actual trial evidence and that the juror who was the topic had not reported it to the court.

This incident spotlighted the often-hidden tensions that can arise among jurors in high-profile cases. It also briefly threatened to disrupt Weinstein's second New York trial, which has been seen as a pivotal development in the ongoing legal saga. Weinstein was earlier convicted of rape and a criminal sexual act in Manhattan in 2020, leading to a 23-year prison sentence, a landmark moment for the #MeToo movement. Subsequently, he was also convicted of sexual assault in Los Angeles and received a 16-year sentence.

The retrial was set in motion after New York’s highest court overturned the initial Manhattan conviction last year. With the addition of a new criminal sexual act charge to the case, jury selection for the retrial began in April. Weinstein now faces two counts of a first-degree criminal sexual act and one count of third-degree rape.

After six weeks of testimony, juror deliberations commenced, but proceedings hit a snag when one juror fell ill and had to be replaced by an alternate. Subsequently, the remaining alternates were dismissed, compounding the complexity of the deliberations.

On Friday, the juror who had raised the initial concerns asked to be dismissed, citing unfairness and discomfort with the behavior of others. Weinstein's defense lawyers argued that his concerns should be thoroughly investigated before being dismissed, describing him as a “meek” individual working in IT and still living with his grandmother.

Judge Farber, however, remained unmoved, reaffirming that no threats had been made and attributing the juror's discomfort to his inexperience with conflict. The judge denied the motion for a mistrial and the request to dismiss the juror, emphasizing the oath taken by all jurors.

Despite the tension, the trial proceeded with jurors requesting portions of the trial transcript to be read aloud by court reporters. Weinstein, appearing visibly distressed, sat at the defense table in his wheelchair. Some jurors showed signs of fatigue, with one even nodding off.

The day ended with the jurors requesting more time to deliberate, opting to adjourn for the weekend. The case continues to unfold, with many eyes keenly watching the outcomes of this high-stakes retrial.