The jurors weighing Harvey Weinstein’s fate will head into their second week of deliberations Monday — and some legal experts are theorizing a verdict may be imminent.
A note sent to the Manhattan Supreme Court judge by the jurors Friday asked if they could be split on the two top charges while unanimous on the lesser counts, suggesting a verdict could be announced soon, a former Manhattan prosecutor told The Post on Sunday.
“It sounds to me, based upon the deadlock note and the fact they’ve indicated they’ve reached a verdict to some counts, I think we should be expecting a verdict on Monday,” said Michael Bachner, who now works as a defense lawyer.
“Either a partial verdict, where the jury says we can’t come to a conclusion on the undecided counts, or there’s going to be a full verdict. There will be a verdict on Monday based upon the notes,” the lawyer predicted.
The jury began deliberating the rape and sex-assault charges against the shamed former movie producer Tuesday after nearly three weeks of testimony, including from several of his accusers.
On its fourth day of deliberations, the panel asked Justice James Burke if it could be hung on two charges of predatory sexual assault — each of which carries a sentence of up to life behind bars — while unanimous on either a first- or third-degree rape charge and one count of criminal sexual act.
To find Weinstein guilty of either predatory sexual-assault charge, the jury would have to unanimously determine he raped former “The Sopranos” TV actress Annabella Sciorra and either forcibly performed oral sex on Miriam Haleyi or raped Jessica Mann.
Sciorra’s rape allegation happened too long ago to be considered for a separate charge, but it can be used — combined with either Haleyi or Mann’s allegation — to prove predatory sexual assault.
The fact that the jury’s hung on the more complex charges could mean it has already reached a guilty verdict on at least some of the lesser charges, some experts said.
“Assuming for a moment the jury’s note means they have reached a verdict as to some of the lesser charges. If that verdict was not guilty, there would be no reason to consider the testimony of Annabella Sciorra,” Bachner said.
“The only way you get to her testimony is if you find that either Mann or Haleyi was a conviction,” he reasoned.
But another prosecutor-turned-defense lawyer suggested trial-watchers may be reading too much into the note.
“Juries frequently send notes seeking guidance on the law, as they have done here,” said Mark Bederow.
“Nothing in the note states that they are deadlocked on any counts or have reached a verdict on any counts. It seeks guidance on whether that is even a possibility,” he said.
Bederow added that the note could mean the jury is weighing acquitting the former Hollywood titan on all counts.
If the jury finds Sciorra’s rape allegation credible but does not believe Mann or Haleyi, they’ll be forced to acquit him on the predatory sexual-assault charges, as well as the other counts, he said.
A rep for Weinstein said the note must be taken at face value.
“They asked a hypothetical, academic question that doesn’t indicate their ultimate decision one way or the other, and we are studying every possible option,” Juda Engelmayer said.