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Former State Senate President's husband indicted on sexual-assault charges
By adamg on Thu, 03/29/2018 - 4:58pm
A grand jury today indicted Bryon Hefner, 30, on charges of five counts of indecent assault and battery, four counts of dissemination of a visual image of a nude or partially nude person and one count of open and gross lewdness, the state Attorney General's office and the Suffolk County District Attorney's office announced today.
Hefner's alleged activities led to the downfall of his now estranged husband, former state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg.
In the indictments released today by a statewide grand jury into investigations by both the state and Suffolk authorities, Hefner was charged with sexually assaulting victim on three separate occasions in the Boston area, including once in June 2015 in a residential building and twice in April 2016, once in vehicle and once in a restaurant.
In a statement, DA Dan Conley said:
This joint investigation revealed a disturbing pattern of conduct that was not only inappropriate but criminal. No one, regardless of who they are or where they work, should have to endure the assaults and exploitation alleged in these indictments. We see every day that disclosing sexual assault can be the most difficult thing many survivors ever do. We know the facts specific to this case, with many of the parties working in politics and government, made it especially daunting for some to come forward. We will support them and protect their privacy to the greatest degree possible as we work with AG Healey’s office to hold the defendant accountable.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
He sounds pretty deplorable.
Still, surprised to learn that "dissemination of a visual image of a nude or partially nude person" is an actual crime -- especially the "partially nude" part. Wow.
Upskirt
It's part of the "upskirting" law they updated. It only applies when the person is unaware and has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Years too late
When Hefner was first accused of selling access to his husband, Rosenberg should have stepped down there and then. The fact it was brushed off says a lot about the state and voters who tolerate it.
Hypocritical awareness: My reps voted for Rosenberg and yet I voted them another term. Wish MA had instant run-off elections.
A couple of things
First, your "reps" would not have voted at all, since this is the Senate. Second, in theory, most Senators thought that things were on the up and up until the Globe broke the story. Third, there is a way to vote your "reps" out. Competitive primaries is the one that would be the most logical in Massachusetts, while in most states a functioning two party system would keep corruption in the legislative body in check.
If you think your "reps" aren't good, run against them, or help people who are running against them.
Is Charlie Baker concerned
That he has more than T problems. Statehouse scandals, Troopergate, registry malfunctions, Massport hiding payroll. Wait till Mr Hefner tells his side of this sordid affair. I wonder if Stan will have to testify or is he exempt because of spousal privilege?
No, Baker couldn't care less
This has absolutely nothing to do with him.
Not at all
If anything, this knocks Baker's problems off the front page for a day or two.
Not Baker's Rodeo
Baker has no control over the horrible crony/corrupt selections made by the Democratic majority in the house and senate. This is yet another "own goal" for the Democratic Party.
This pattern of corrupt leadership does explain a great deal about how the MA Great and General Court never seems to get around to overriding Baker on healthcare or on MBTA funding and other issues of great concern that I see endlessly flogged in the MA Democrats FB advertisements.
I wonder if Stan will have to
They separated.
https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2018/01/11/ex-senate-president-stan...
Mass.
What's Boston, Mass. Without a person in a high position being indicted, or being suspended with or without pay... What great Role models these kids have to look up to... Drunk driving crashing cops & Sexual harassers reps. In the State House.
Phew, it's a relief that our leaders in even higher
offices and their staffs are beyond reproach. I guess our kids can always look up to *those* guys.
Well, well.
Stan should resign his seat. Immediately. If he doesn’t, it’s just another example of the old corrupt cronyism that this state has engaged in for decades.
What is a "statewide grand jury"?
Does it mean people have to drive in every days from Worcestor and Springfield to do grand jury duty?
Well ...
Probably a grand jury for criminals charged with committing crimes across county lines.
OK, found info
Here's an article from when statewide grand juries, which had been instituted temporarily as an experiment, had expired (it was later reinstated).
http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/03/massachusetts_conside...
Here's the old statute
http://law.onecle.com/massachusetts/277a/index.html
which says the jurors will be drawn from the county where the grand jury is seated, and may also be drawn from neighboring counties.
Just for comparison
MA is the size of a county in several places in the US. It would barely make the top ten nationally.
The county that I was born in is bigger than Connecticut.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_largest_counties_in_the_United...
/tinystateproblems
and you could probably drive across it
Faster than you can get from Townsend to Boston during morning rush hour.
Not True
Not on two lane roads winding their way through a mountainous terrain.
I don't mean white mountain mountains, either.
Not long out of law school, my brother's undergrad roommate decided to move to one of these huge counties on the Idaho border and take the District Attorney's position.
Yep - 8,000 person county had a fairly recent law grad as their DA.
They typically empaneled juries only when they couldn't settle cases otherwise because it could be a four hour drive to the county seat in good weather, and the needed to put them up in the motel.
Part of the issue in actual rural places: there often are not roads going from here to there.
"Can't Get There From Here"
( SNL — What's the best way? )
A sign of progress in one way
I assume the Herald comments may be getting into the gay marriage aspect but thankfully most people seem to see this for what it is - a politician married a terrible person and things went downhill from there.
Shocked, I tell you.
.