A federal judge in New York has announced his intention to sentence former gynecologist Robert Hadden to 20 years in prison for the sexual abuse of numerous patients over a span of 20 years. The sentencing hearing, presided over by Judge Richard M. Berman, is scheduled to continue on Tuesday, giving Hadden the opportunity to speak after resolving any legal issues. Unless the judge changes his mind, he is expected to impose the 20-year sentence once the hearing resumes.
Hadden, 64, has been in custody since January following his conviction on four counts of enticing victims to cross state lines for sexual abuse. The recommended federal sentencing guidelines suggest a four-to-five-year term, meaning the 20-year sentence would be four times longer. While judges have discretion to deviate from the guidelines, they must provide reasoning for their decision.
Judge Berman justified the longer sentence by stating that Hadden’s actions at prestigious hospitals such as Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital warranted a harsher punishment. He described the case as unprecedented and involving “outrageous, horrific, beyond extraordinary, depraved sexual abuse.” The government has reported that at least 245 women have come forward among the thousands Hadden treated, alleging abuse.
However, defense attorney Deirdre von Dornum criticized the judge’s decision as excessively severe, arguing that Hadden had already lost everything and would effectively be serving a life sentence. Dornum also expressed concerns about Hadden’s safety in a Brooklyn federal lockup, where he faces threats and extortion from fellow inmates. During the first stage of the sentencing hearing, nine victims spoke, but they were not invited to speak again on Monday.
Witnesses at the trial provided graphic testimony of Hadden repeatedly subjecting them to sexualized breast exams and inappropriate vaginal touching under the guise of medical procedures. They urged the judge to impose the maximum prison sentence. Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, which later became New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and the associated institutions have agreed to pay $236 million to settle civil claims from over 200 former patients.
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