Previous Oklahoma County District Decide Tim Henderson has admitted in a composed statement to “sexual carry out” with a prosecutor in his office, in her apartment and in hotel rooms.
He denied, although, that their involvement, which ended in 2018, motivated his rulings in a murder case that went to jury trial this calendar year.
Jurors on Feb. 2 convicted Robert Leon Hashagen III of initial-diploma murder in the loss of life of a 94-yr-aged female through a 2013 burglary. He is trying to find a new demo mainly because of the mystery “sexual romance.”
“The integrity of the judiciary … is very substantially in question right here,” his lawyer, James Lockard, argued at an evidentiary hearing Monday. “We can’t have faith that the verdict is a fair a person.”
The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in Oct purchased the evidentiary hearing and will rule on the new demo ask for following acquiring a report.
Henderson did not look at the hearing at the Oklahoma County courthouse but his assertion was admitted as an show.
The married decide abruptly resigned and arrived underneath investigation just after staying accused in March of sexual misconduct.
Among his accusers is one particular of the 3 prosecutors in the Hashagen situation. In a written statement also admitted as an exhibit, she termed their involvement sexual abuse.
She mentioned the choose commenced sexually abusing her in April 2016 and ongoing until finally July or August of 2018. She also stated he emailed her in 2019 and wrote that he wanted to “get above it” since their “romantic relationship” had been around for a year.
At concern in the hearing Monday was what impression the judge’s involvement with a prosecutor experienced on his rulings in the scenario.
“At all instances throughout the Hashagen case I managed my purpose as a neutral and detached judicial officer,” Henderson stated. “My rulings were good and supported by the proof and information introduced by the lawyers.”
He reported he presided more than much more than 100 jury trials before resigning.
“None of the jury trials that I have presided more than have been reversed for any purpose by the Courtroom of Legal Appeals,” he said.
He precisely disputed that the prosecutor accusing him is a target of sexual assault or sexual abuse. He explained their “consensual affair incorporated texts, cellphone calls, e-mails and cards” from her. He reported it also provided “sexual carry out in my business, in her apartment and in resort rooms secured by and paid for by” her.
Henderson, 63, is a previous Edmond police officer, prosecutor and defense lawyer. He grew to become a district decide in Oklahoma County in July 2012 and was widely revered.
Agents with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spoke with various accusers and sent studies to a specific prosecutor. No fees have been submitted.
The special prosecutor is anticipated to talk to the state’s subsequent multicounty grand jury to decide if the proof warrants an indictment.
Listening to ordered more than Henderson’s involvement with 2nd prosecutor
The Court of Legal Appeals also has requested a hearing in excess of Henderson’s involvement with another prosecutor in a drug scenario.
A convicted heroin seller, Aaron Lamar Fort, complained on attractiveness that Henderson was plainly not neutral “since he was sexually assaulting or having an affair with the prosecuting lawyer in this case.”
Fort was convicted at demo last calendar year. The prosecutor in that circumstance has instructed the OSBI that Henderson built unwelcome improvements on her previous year and built her complete oral sex on him three or 4 moments.
Henderson, via an lawyer, also has described that involvement as consensual.
The Oklahoman is not naming both prosecutor because of a policy towards identifying alleged intercourse crime victims in most situation.
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