Harvey Weinstein faces fourth rape trial in six years

Harvey Weinstein was wheeled into a New York City courtroom on Tuesday morning to face his fourth rape trial in six years.

Weinstein is accused of assaulting Jessica Mann, who has testified at two previous trials that the producer raped her at a Manhattan hotel room back in March 2013.

The disgraced film mogul was convicted of the third-degree rape of Mann in 2020, but that verdict was overturned by the state's highest court.

At a retrial last summer, jurors found the former Miramax boss guilty of assaulting another victim, Miriam Haley, but deadlocked on the charge relating to Mann, forcing prosecutors to try the charge for a third time.

According to Variety, the Assistant District Attorney Candace White told jurors in her opening statement that the case comes down to "power, control, and manipulation.”

Mann met Weinstein at an engagement party in February 2013, six weeks before the alleged rape. White said that Mann, an aspiring actor at the time, was "preyed upon" by the powerful producer.

Defence attorney Jacob Kaplan argued that the case was about "consent and choice", and quoted several emails Mann sent to Weinstein in which she wrote, "Appreciate all you do for me," and "Miss you, big guy."

"This case will be her word against her own word," Kaplan further added.

Weinstein was convicted of raping an Italian model at a trial in Los Angeles in 2022 and sentenced to 16 years.

He has been held in jails in New York and Los Angeles, and for a time in New York state prison, since his first conviction in 2020.