Bryon Hefner
Bryon Hefner indicted on assault and lewdness charges
|
Bryon Hefner indicted on assault and lewdness charges
A grand jury Thursday indicted Bryon Hefner, the husband of Senator
Stanley C. Rosenberg, on multiple charges of sexual assault, criminal
lewdness, and distributing nude photographs without consent.
The indictments, issued by a statewide grand jury, follow a
joint investigation by the attorney general and the Suffolk district
attorney into allegations by several men, first reported
by the Globe, that Hefner assaulted and harassed them during the
past few years, when Rosenberg was Senate president.
The alleged victims told the Globe that Hefner boasted of his influence
on Beacon Hill and that they were reluctant to report his assaults for
fear of alienating his powerful husband and harming their careers. Two
of those men say they are among the four victims cited in Thursday’s
indictment.
The indictments are a dramatic turn in a months-long controversy that
led Rosenberg to step aside from the presidency late last year.
Hefner, 30, was indicted on five counts of indecent assault and battery.
The indictments allege one victim was assaulted on three occasions in
Boston in 2015 and 2016 — once in an apartment, once in a restaurant,
and once in a car. That alleged victim told the Globe last year that
Rosenberg was present in the car but that he did not know whether the
then-Senate president was aware of the assault. The Globe found no
evidence that Rosenberg, 68, knew of any of Hefner’s alleged assaults.
According to the indictment, Hefner sexually assaulted another victim in
2014 and exposed his genitals to that same victim in 2016, and assaulted
a third victim in the summer of 2016.
Prosecutors also say Hefner obtained nude and partially nude
photographs of another victim without his knowledge, and sent or showed
the pictures to four other people without the victim’s consent.
“Today’s indictments send a clear message that we will not tolerate
behavior of this kind,” Attorney General Maura Healey said in a
statement, thanking the victims for coming forward.
District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said the joint investigation had
revealed “a disturbing pattern of conduct that was not only
inappropriate, but criminal. . . . We know the facts specific to this
case, with many of the parties working in politics and government, made
it especially daunting to come forward.”
Hefner will receive a summons
to appear in Suffolk Superior Court on April 24 to be arraigned on the
charges. Most of the counts carry a maximum sentence of five years in
state prison.
“It’s surreal,” one of Hefner’s alleged victims said. “I know most
survivors of sexual assault never get their day in court. I’m still
afraid of what happens next, but I’m also confident that all of the
survivors are going to be able to get through it.”
He also said he hopes Hefner “is somewhere praying.”
Hefner’s attorney, Tracy Miner, said he would plead not guilty to the
charges.
“Mr. Hefner . . . looks forward to contesting the allegations in a
court of law, where evidence must be produced and witnesses can be
confronted,” she said in an e-mail.
In a statement to the Globe in November, Hefner said he was shocked
by the men’s allegations and could not respond to anonymous accusers. If
the case proceeds to trial, those who accuse him of assaulting or
exploiting them will probably face him in a courtroom.
Rosenberg, in a statement, said: “These are serious charges. They are
now being handled by the judicial system. I have faith in that system
and trust that it will adjudicate this case fairly.”
The indictment will likely intensify the turmoil that began in the
Senate after the allegations first surfaced,
costing Rosenberg his Senate presidency and leaving the chamber in
disarray as others jockeyed to replace him. It comes just as a senator
has claimed the votes to be
the next president and legislators are attempting to move forward
with the business of lawmaking.
In an emotional statement the day after the allegations against his
husband first emerged, Rosenberg said he was
heartbroken and expressed sympathy for those who said Hefner had
assaulted them. Rosenberg, who had vowed that there would be a firewall
between his personal life and State House business after an
earlier controversy over Hefner’s meddling in Senate business,
insisted again that Hefner had no influence over the business of the
Senate.
He said Hefner had entered an inpatient treatment center for alcohol
dependence. The couple has since separated.
Acting on claims that Hefner had boasted of his influence on Beacon
Hill, Rosenberg’s Senate colleagues launched an
independent investigation to determine whether the then-Senate
president had violated chamber rules. That investigation is pending.
Rosenberg stepped aside as president, initially for the duration of the
Senate investigation, and Senator Harriette Chandler temporarily
assumed the presidency.
Her tenure was extended after the Globe revealed in February that
Hefner appears to have been more involved in Senate business than
Rosenberg had claimed, with documents and some who dealt with Hefner
revealing that he had access to the Senate president’s official
e-mail, calendar, and contacts; had lobbied on a budget amendment; and
showed a deep knowledge of Senate matters. Rather than waiting for the
investigation to conclude, senators have decided to move on: Last week,
Ways and Means Chairwoman Karen Spilka announced she had rounded up
enough votes to be their next president.
Current Senate President Chandler called the charges against Hefner
“deeply disturbing” and applauded the victims for coming forward to
authorities.
“Clearly, the actions described will not be tolerated, and the Senate
will cooperate fully with the district attorney and attorney general’s
office,” she said. “These charges illustrate why it is critical that the
[Senate] investigation be completed in as thorough a manner as
possible.”
In a statement Thursday, Spilka called the Hefner indictments “the
latest turn in one of the toughest periods in the history of the state
Senate.”
“My colleagues and I are heartsick for the victims of these alleged
crimes,” Spilka said. “There is simply no place for assault and
harassment of any kind. While this and other investigations continue, it
is important for all potential victims to feel safe to come forward to
investigators so that the full truth can be known and addressed.”
Senator Barbara A. L’Italien, an Andover Democrat who is running for
Congress, said Thursday was “a very sad day for the Senate.”
But, she added, “I do believe that the victims now feel that their
stories have been heard, have been taken seriously, which I was
advocating for all along. I’m sure they now feel they’re on the path
toward justice being served.”
Senator Bruce E. Tarr, the Senate minority leader, said he hopes the
criminal justice system works “swiftly and effectively to address what’s
been alleged.”
“The behavior alleged in these indictments is shocking, it’s
despicable, and it’s completely unacceptable,” Tarr said.
A spokeswoman for Governor Charlie Baker said he and Lieutenant
Governor Karyn Polito “commend those who came forward to report these
despicable actions and believe those who engage in crimes and sexual
harassment of any kind must be held accountable.”
One of the men who told his story to the Globe, but who is not among
the victims included in the indictment, was distressed to learn yet more
men allege Hefner assaulted them.
“There are so many victims,” he said. Coming forward last year “was
the right thing to do,” he added. “I feel some validation in that.”
The investigation into Hefner will continue, Healey and Conley said,
and they appealed to others with information or allegations related to
the case to contact them.
Boston Globe
Bryon Hefner,
Rosenberg’s husband, pleads not guilty to multiple charges
The scandal that ended the Senate presidency of Stanley C. Rosenberg
moved out of the State House and into the courthouse Tuesday as
Rosenberg’s husband, Bryon Hefner, faced accusations that he sexually
assaulted three men and disseminated naked photos of a fourth without
his consent.
Prosecutors alleged that Hefner engaged in a pattern of
assaults and misconduct over multiple years, and detailed the alleged
acts in vivid terms — Hefner repeatedly groped two men against their
will, kissed another “aggressively on the lips without his consent,” and
boastfully showed nude photos of yet another man who said he never
agreed to having the pictures taken.
Hefner, 30, pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault, four
counts of distributing nude images without consent, and one count of
criminal lewdness in Suffolk Superior Court.
He did not show emotion at the short arraignment. Assistant Clerk
Magistrate Lisa Medeiros released Hefner on personal recognizance,
forbade him from contacting victims or witnesses (except two people,
whose names were not disclosed), set the trial for the spring of 2019,
and prohibited him from State House grounds.
Boston Globe
Howie Carr: Stanley Rosenberg, Bryon 'Pee-wee' Hefner brought
chamber to new lows
I always believed no two people could ever do more damage to the
abysmal reputation of the Massachusetts state Senate than Billy and
Whitey Bulger did.
But that was before the lovebirds of Beacon Hill — Sen. Stanley
Rosenberg and his Pee-wee Herman-look-alike spouse Bryon Hefner.
Rosenberg is resigning as of 5 p.m. today — the first time his snout
will have been out of the public trough since Jimmy Carter was
president. Although of course now the pension kicks in, because he
wasn’t expelled, he resigned, due to ill health.
Boston Herald
Bryon Hefner Could Receive a
Hefty State Pension upon Stan Rosenberg’s Death
Hefner, who was accused of sexual harassment, is listed as the recipient
of his husband's benefits should Rosenberg pass away.
Bryon Hefner’s
pockets could someday be lined with tens of thousands of dollars in
state pension money.
Hefner, who
pleaded not guilty in April to sexual assault charges, is set to
receive annual benefits from Massachusetts in the event of the death of
his husband, former Senate President Stan Rosenberg. According to the
Boston Globe, Rosenberg, who resigned from the legislature in
May, designated Hefner as the recipient of his pension in the case of
his death in an application filed with the State Retirement Board last
week.
Rosenberg, who spent nearly 40 years in public service, will receive
roughly $84,420 a year from the state, according to the Globe.
Should he pass away, Hefner could receive around $58,260 annually, the
Globe reports.
Allegations that Hefner had sexually harassed and assaulted several
men
surfaced in November. Accusers told the
Globe that they hesitated to come forward for fear of
retribution from Hefner and his powerful husband. Hefner was indicted on
five counts of indecent assault and battery, one count of lewdness, and
four counts of distributing photos without consent in March.
Though Rosenberg was not found to have violated any Senate rules in
relation to Hefner’s behavior, a damning report
released in May found he had “failed to protect the Senate from his
husband, whom he knew was disruptive, volatile, and abusive.” He
resigned soon after the report’s release under pressure from
colleagues in both parties.
Hefner’s trial is scheduled next year.
Bryon Hefner draws FBI scrutiny
The FBI has begun looking into allegations that Bryon Hefner, the
husband of state Senator Stanley C. Rosenberg, assaulted several men
with State House connections while boasting of his influence on
Beacon Hill, according to two people familiar with the inquiry.
The agents are interested in whether Hefner offered a
quid pro quo to his alleged victims, using his relationship with
Rosenberg — then the Senate president — to influence the chamber’s
business in return for sexual favors. Rosenberg has stepped down
temporarily from the top post.
The fact that the FBI is making inquiries does not mean a formal
investigation is underway, or that charges will ultimately be brought.
And it is unclear whether Hefner or Rosenberg, who has not been accused
of any wrongdoing, is the main target of the inquiry.
Boston Globe
Bryon Hefner sent Sen. Stan
Rosenberg sexually explicit texts, nude photos
Bryon Hefner sent his husband, former Senate President Stan Rosenberg,
D-Amherst, sexually explicit text messages about legislative staffers
and senators. Hefner sent Rosenberg text messages of naked men, and
Rosenberg saw Hefner show a nude photo to another elected official.
These were among the details included in a report of the Senate
Committee on Ethics, based on an investigation done by the law firm
Hogan Lovells. The report concluded that Rosenberg demonstrated "a
significant failure of judgment and leadership."
"That failure undermined the integrity of the Senate and had
destructive consequences for the Senate and the people with business
before it," Ethics Committee Chairman Sen. Michael Rodrigues,
D-Westport, said in a statement on behalf of the committee.
"Essentially, Senator Rosenberg failed to protect the Senate from his
husband, whom he knew was disruptive, volatile and abusive."
Hefner has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including
sexual assault. The report details five separate instances where Hefner
was accused of engaging in nonconsensual sexual touching with four
different men.
Independent investigator Anthony Fuller of Hogan Lovells said there
no is evidence that Rosenberg was told of the alleged assaults, and
Rosenberg said he was not aware of any unwanted touching.
But Rosenberg was aware of Hefner's inappropriate behavior. The
report states that Hefner sent multiple sexually explicit texts to
Rosenberg, including one text in 2016 where he stated, "I want to roofie
(a Senator) and make a sex tape," referring to a date rape drug.
Rosenberg told investigators that Hefner sent him pictures of naked men
that he downloaded from the internet as a joke, and Rosenberg told him
to stop.
Investigators found that Rosenberg failed to adequately address what
he did know of Hefner's sexualized conduct toward Senate personnel. "We
conclude he should have known that Bryon Hefner was likely to engage in
sexually harassing conduct toward personnel," Fuller said.
In 2014, after Hefner posted disparaging comments on social media
about outgoing Senate President Therese Murray, Rosenberg said he
maintained a "firewall" between Hefner and his work in the Senate. The
report found that the firewall was ineffective. Hefner had unfettered
access to Rosenberg's email. In two instances, Hefner sent unauthorized
emails pretending to be Rosenberg.
Rosenberg stepped down from the Senate presidency during the
investigation.
The Senate Ethics Committee is recommending that Rosenberg be barred
from serving as Senate President, as a member of Senate leadership or as
chairman of any committee through 2020. The full Senate will have to
vote on the recommendations.
Rodrigues said the Ethics Committee believes it should be up to
Rosenberg's constituents whether he should continue to serve in the
Senate.
Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, and Attorney General Maura Healey,
a Democrat, both called on Rosenberg to resign.
"The Senate's ethics report reveals a deeply disturbing pattern of
behavior, making it clear that Senator Rosenberg has compromised the
business of the Chamber and trust of his constituents," Baker said. "For
the good of the institution and those who elected him to serve, I
believe the Senator needs to resign immediately."
Healey said, "It's clear to me that Stan Rosenberg cannot continue to
serve in the Senate. I think it's best if he steps down immediately."
Rosenberg's spokeswoman declined a request for comment.
Rosenberg told investigators that he believed Hefner's inappropriate
conduct was the result of an undiagnosed mental illness and alcohol
abuse. The couple has since separated, and Hefner sought treatment for
alcoholism.
The report provides explicit details of Hefner's inappropriate
behavior.
In 2013, Hefner repeatedly touched a Senate staffer's foot in a
social setting, then sent text messages asking for a "sleepover" at the
Beacon Hill condo that Hefner and Rosenberg shared. Hefner texted the
staffer a photograph of what he said was his penis.
A Senate staff member in 2015 and 2016 said Hefner sent him numerous
sexually suggestive text messages. One read, "You weren't my gift under
the Menorah this year. I'm mad at Santa," and was followed by a text of
Hefner sitting shirtless on Santa's lap.
One of the reports of sexual assault came from a policy advocate who
said Hefner grabbed the man's genitals while Hefner propositioned the
advocate. Hefner touched the same advocate under the table at a
political dinner while the advocate was moderating a discussion. He
later asked the advocate to have sex with him in a bathroom. Hefner told
the man he had access to Rosenberg.
Hefner on one occasion berated a Senate staffer with inappropriate
racist comments. The staffer told Rosenberg, who said he would do
everything he could to prevent Hefner from engaging in similar conduct
in the future.
The report found that Rosenberg gave Hefner access to his Senate
email account from 2009 to 2017. Although there is no evidence Hefner
influenced Rosenberg's official actions, the report found that Hefner
repeatedly abused his access to Rosenberg's computer.
Hefner contacted Rosenberg's staff in 2013 to try to gain funding for
a program for at-risk youth that Hefner worked for. Another time, Hefner
forwarded an email sent to Rosenberg by a policy advocate to his
colleagues at the program, marking it "confidential."
On two occasions in January 2017, Hefner wrote emails pretending to
be Rosenberg, trying to set up meetings related to official Senate
business.
Hefner also criticized and demeaned Rosenberg's staff.
In one case, Hefner texted two staffers from Rosenberg's phone as if
he were Rosenberg, writing, "you're all still failures for your lack of
foresight. ... Sometimes the best person for the job is a straight white
man."
Rosenberg told investigators that he could not completely wall his
spouse off from his work, and he wanted Hefner to have access to his
calendar, but he never allowed Hefner to influence his decisions.
The Senate held a five-hour closed-door caucus Wednesday, and
senators plan to convene again Thursday as they decide whether to adopt
the recommendations of the Senate Ethics Committee to bar Rosenberg from
leadership.
"The independent investigation report presented today was thorough
and troubling. Like my colleagues, I am taking time tonight to further
review the report and the strong recommendations of the Ethics
Committee," said Senate President Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, in a
statement. "This has been a trying time for the victims and witnesses in
this case, for Senate staff, for Senators, and for the Senate as an
institution. I am hopeful that after tomorrow, we can begin turning the
page and healing as a body."
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, a member of the
Ethics Committee, called the report "very, very serious."
"There was clearly a failure of judgment here, and there was clearly
a failure of leadership, and those failures had consequences that harmed
the Senate," Tarr said.
Tarr called it "intolerable" that people felt threatened by the
Senate president's husband.
Rodrigues said the allegations of a culture of harassment are "sad,"
"disappointing" and "something we should do everything in our power to
change."
© 2018 Tea Media. All Rights Reserved.
Home
History Harmonious
Consultant