Former Manhattan Gynecologist Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexual Assault
A former Manhattan gynecologist, Robert A. Hadden, 64, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting four patients. The sentencing was announced on Tuesday by Judge Richard M. Berman, who ordered Mr. Hadden to serve the statutory maximum sentence concurrently on each of the four charges. Following his imprisonment, he will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release.
The federal charges against Mr. Hadden were a result of the assaults against four patients who traveled across state lines, coming from and through New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania for gynecological and obstetrics appointments. The crimes occurred during examinations, during which Mr. Hadden sexually assaulted his victims.
Judge Berman deemed the length of the sentence appropriate, stating, “This case is like no other in my experience,” and emphasizing the seriousness of the offenses and the need for punishment and deterrence.
The sentencing hearing, which began on Monday, extended into Tuesday to address objections from Mr. Hadden’s lawyers. Throughout the proceedings, Mr. Hadden fidgeted while the judge meticulously reviewed the trial’s transcripts and evaluated witness testimony and Mr. Hadden’s mental health history. Supporters, victims, and their families filled the courtroom, anxiously awaiting the judge’s official sentencing.
This case is part of a decades-long saga, with prosecutors asserting that Mr. Hadden abused dozens of patients during medical exams that started in the early 1990s. However, Mr. Hadden evaded prison time in 2012 after striking a plea deal with the Manhattan district attorney’s office for sexually abusing 19 patients. He relinquished his medical license, pleaded guilty to a single felony count of a criminal sexual act in the third degree, and one misdemeanor count of forcible touching. The lenient deal received scrutiny amid a national reckoning with cases of sexual assault and the legal system’s handling of them.
In 2019, Evelyn Yang, the wife of former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, came forward as one of Mr. Hadden’s victims, prompting the Manhattan district attorney’s office to open an investigation into new abuse allegations against him. However, this investigation determined that any possible criminal charges were beyond the statute of limitations.
It was not until September 2020 that federal charges were announced against Mr. Hadden. Last month, several women delivered powerful statements during a hearing, highlighting the enduring impact of the assaults on their lives.
Laurie Kanyok, whose report to the police in 2012 led to Mr. Hadden’s initial arrest, expressed her frustration, saying, “The system has taken over a decade to bring justice to this horrible crime,” and urged Judge Berman to ensure this would be the last time she spoke in court on the matter.
Notably, Mr. Hadden’s former employers, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, have faced lawsuits from victims in recent years. Both hospitals reached separate settlements with 226 former patients, totaling approximately $236 million.
The sentencing of Robert A. Hadden marks a significant step toward justice for the survivors of his sexual assault, demonstrating that perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.