Jury selection heads into next week at Weinstein rape retrial

NEW YORK (AP) — Dozens more people were screened Thursday as potential jurors for Harvey Weinstein's New York rape retrial, but the selection wrapped up for the week with several slots still to be filled.

The panel started taking shape Wednesday, when five women and four men were picked for the redo of the landmark #MeToo-era trial. Then, more than 140 other prospective jurors were brought into court Thursday to begin the multistep selection process.

As in earlier rounds, about two-thirds were excused after raising their hands to signal that they had schedule conflicts or felt they couldn’t be fair and impartial because of the nature and extensive news coverage of the case.

Even one person who didn't raise a hand soon had second thoughts, telling the judge — without other potential jurors in earshot — that she wasn't sure she could disregard all that she'd read about the case over the years. Judge Curtis Farber let her go.

Ultimately, about 50 people advanced to the next stage of questioning Thursday afternoon.

The court day ended before getting into in-depth inquiries about their occupations, life experiences, views of the #MeToo movement, and more. Jury selection will pause in observance of Good Friday, then resume Monday. Still, one woman volunteered to Farber that she's in the news business, though she vowed to avoid reading about the case if selected. She's due to be questioned further to determine whether she should be excused.

Weinstein, an Oscar-winning producer and onetime Hollywood power broker, is charged with raping two different women — an aspiring actor and a production assistant — on separate occasions. He is also charged with forcing oral sex on another woman.

Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty. He says all his sexual experiences have been consensual.

Allegations about him emerged publicly in 2017, fueled the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct and led to multiple prosecutions. The ex-movie mogul was convicted of rape at his first New York trial in 2020. Two years later, he was convicted in Los Angeles of a separate rape charge that he also denied.

Then his New York conviction and 23-year prison sentence were overturned by the state's highest court last year. That reversal led to the retrial, where the charges and expected evidence differ somewhat from the original trial.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers are to choose 12 jurors and six alternates.

Farber is overseeing the painstaking process: The nine jurors selected so far were whittled from roughly 140 people who went through initial screening earlier this week.

Prospective jurors can be excused for various reasons, ranging from language barriers to prior experiences with — or opinions about — people or issues in a case. Prosecutors and defense lawyers also get a limited number of chances to eliminate potential jurors without giving a reason.

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court, for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (Mike Segar/Pool Photo via AP)

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (Steven Hirsch /New York Post via AP, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court, wearing a risk wristband, for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (Steven Hirsch /New York Post via AP, Pool)

Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for the third day of jury selection in his retrial, Thursday, April 17, 2025 in New York. (Mike Segar/Pool Photo via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — Alejandro Kirk hit a game-ending, bases-loaded single in the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays overcame a six-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-6 in Lucas Giolito's return on Wednesday night, stopping a three-game losing streak.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. started the 10th as the automatic runner on second, Justin Slaten (0-1) intentionally walked Daulton Varsho and George Springer with one out and Kirk singled to left.

Jeff Hoffman (3-0) struck out three in two hitless innings.

Anthony Santander tied the score in the seventh with his fourth home run this season, a three-run drive off Garrett Whitlock.

Kirk and Varsho started the rebound from a 6-0 deficit with back-to-back homers in the sixth off Giolito, who made his Red Sox debut more than 15 months after signing a a $38.5 million. two-year contract, Giolito didn’t pitch last season because of a partial tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament, then had been sidelined since spring training due to a strained left hamstring.

Toronto began the night with 16 homers, 29th among the 30 teams, and hit three homers in a game for the first time this season.

Yariel Rodríguez's run-scoring balk and Alex Bregman's seventh homer built a 2-0 lead in the first, and Jarren Duran hit an RBI single in the second and scored on Rafael Devers' double. Carlos Narváez stretched the lead to 6-0 with a two-run homer off Chad Green in the sixth.

Kirk lined a single over Jarren Duran to end the game.

Toronto scored more than four runs for the first time since a 6-3 win over Atlanta on April 15.

Red Sox RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 7.58 ERA) is expected to start against Toronto RHP José Berríos (1-1, 4.24) on Thursday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette, left, leads off first base as Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) throws in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter in first inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Carlos Narvaez (75) celebrates hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in sixth inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr, left, and Anthony Santander (25) celebrate after Santander hit a three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox in seventh inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Anthony Santander (25) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox in seventh inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk (30) hits a walk-off RBI single in tenth inning American League baseball action to defeat the Boston Red Sox in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk (30) hits a walk-off RBI single in tenth inning American League baseball action to defeat the Boston Red Sox in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk, centre facing, celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off RBI single in tenth inning American League baseball action to defeat the Boston Red Sox in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk (30) runs to first base after hitting a walk-off RBI single in tenth inning American League baseball action to defeat the Boston Red Sox in Toronto on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)