The jury in former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's rape trial have resumed deliberations, as his lawyers failed in their effort to get a juror removed for writing a review of a novel partly set in the #MeToo era during the trial.
Mr Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, in 2013.
One of Mr Weinstein's lawyers, Damon Cheronis, renewed a request he made yesterday to have the juror removed from the case because of her online review, posted during the trial, of Kate Elizabeth Russell's debut novel "My Dark Vanessa."
The novel is about a relationship between a 15-year-old female student and a 42-year-old male teacher in 2000.
In 2017, the former student is encouraged to come forward and tell her story, amid the #MeToo movement, in which women have accused powerful men in business, entertainment, news media and politics of sexual misconduct.
The judge, James Burke, denied the request.
"My finding is just that she hasn't done anything wrong," he said.
The same juror wrote a novel about young women and "predatory" older men. The defence had tried to exclude her from the jury before the trial began.
Soon after they resumed deliberations today, the jurors asked to review parts of Ms Haleyi's testimony, as well as emails between her and Mr Weinstein.
After beginning deliberations yesterday, the jurors requested other evidence related to Ms Haleyi and to Annabella Sciorra, who testified that Mr Weinstein entered her New York apartment one winter night in 1993 or 1994 and raped her.
The accusation is too old to be charged as a separate crime, but it could act as an aggravating factor to support a predatory sexual assault charge, which carries a potential life sentence.
The trial, which began hearing testimony on 22 January, threw up complicated issues surrounding consent and abuse of power for the jury.
Under cross-examination, both Ms Mann and Ms Haleyi acknowledged at least one consensual sexual encounter with Mr Weinstein after the alleged assaults.
Defence lawyers presented dozens of emails and text messages in court that appeared to show both Ms Mann and Ms Haleyi on friendly terms with Weinstein years after the alleged attacks.
His team said the relationships were consensual and transactional, arguing that the accusers used sex with the defendant to advance their own careers.
Prosecutors said he was an aggressive and manipulative career sexual predator who took advantage of his powerful position in the film industry to prey on aspiring young actresses.
Mr Weinstein, the producer of 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Sin City', is the first man accused of abuse in the #MeToo movement to face a criminal trial.
Justice James Burke reminded jurors that to convict, they must be sure of Mr Weinstein's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
"If the people fail to satisfy their burden of proof you must find the defendant not guilty," Judge Burke said.
Mr Weinstein faces five counts: two of predatory sexual assault, two of rape and one of engaging in a criminal sexual act.
The jury must reach unanimous verdicts on each count.
If they cannot, the judge may be forced to declare a mistrial, which could mean a fresh trial with new jurors.
A split verdict is possible where Mr Weinstein is convicted of some charges and cleared of others.
Even if found not guilty, Mr Weinstein's legal troubles are far from over.
He is facing a separate sex crimes investigation in Los Angeles and is also the subject of several civil complaints.
Mr Weinstein has denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual.
