Lawyer faces new sex charges involving a young girl
By: Heather Nann Collins, Journal Inquirer
03/02/2007
Hanson, 45, of West Hartford, was held in lieu of $750,000 bond after his arraignment Friday in Hartford Superior Court on charges of second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.
Hartford police arrested Hanson at his Main Street law office Thursday morning.
Before the latest arrest, Hanson had continued practicing criminal and immigration law while free on bonds totaling $100,000 from the first case, in which he is charged with second-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a child, and third-degree possession of child pornography.
Hanson's bail in the new case was originally set at $1.5 million. But Judge Bradford Ward cut the amount in half.
Bloomfield lawyer Aaron Romano, who represented Hanson at Friday's appearance, asked Ward to let Hanson go without a bond, on a promise to appear in court.
The "absolutely outrageously excessive" $1.5 million bond was inappropriate for Hanson, a married father of two and a lawyer for 18 years, Romano said.
Hanson is representing himself in the first criminal case and has never missed a court appearance, Romano said.
Unable to post a large bond, Hanson would be prevented from continuing to prepare for the first case, which was nearly ready for trial, Romano said.
Romano said that may be the state's intention because of what he said were "flimsy allegations at best" supported by "a reluctant witness."
That claim drew a sharp retort from Senior Assistant State's Attorney Thomas J. O'Brien.
"There's no call for that," O'Brien said.
Victims of sex crimes are often reluctant to come forward, O'Brien said, causing delays in cases.
The two cases against Hanson are made stronger, O'Brien said, by a "similar pattern" of conduct: Police say Hanson had sex on video with Hispanic teenage girls.
There are leads on two other girls, O'Brien said, and additional charges are possible.
The Connecticut Law Tribune reported in August that, at a hearing into whether Hanson's law license should be suspended while he fights the criminal charge, Hanson said he routinely videotapes his sexual encounters to protect against rape claims.
The new case grew out of the police investigation of the original case.
Hanson was arrested in September 2005 and a computer at his office seized.
Police say they found "numerous" digital photos on the computer of girls having sex with Hanson and in provocative poses -often in Hanson's office.
The girl in the first case worked occasionally in Hanson's office as a clerk. Police say she was 15 and 16 when she had sex with Hanson. Having sexual intercourse with anyone under age 16 is illegal.
According to a police affidavit, officers located the first girl's cousin in January, and she identified herself as being in the photos on Hanson's computer. But the girl told police that she was 16 when she had sex with Hanson in his office. She also told police that she knew she was being photographed and videotaped during the encounters.
But police say they interviewed the girl's older sister, and she said her sister was 15 when the sex pictures and videos were taken.
The older sister told police she had met Hanson outside Hartford Superior Court in February 2005, when he was handing out his business card to prospective clients. She told police she called him later to ask him a question about immigration, and Hanson hired her to work for him.
She too later developed a sexual relationship with Hanson, the girl told police, and he videotaped the encounters. But she was of age, so that relationship hasn't been the subject of criminal charges.
A week after police interviewed the older sister, she tried to recant her assertion that her sister was 15 when she had sex with Hanson, according to the affidavit.
But police say the girl appeared to have been coached - and they are now investigating "potential charges of witness tampering" against Hanson.
Hanson, who successfully defended an attempt by the state's chief disciplinary counsel to suspend his law license, could again be the subject of a disciplinary action as a result of the new arrest.
A Hartford lawyer accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl and videotaping it was again behind bars Friday after city police charged him with having sex and videotaping another 15-year-old - the first girl's cousin.
A prosecutor said the lawyer, Kweku J. Hanson, may face more charges involving other young girls.Hanson, 45, of West Hartford, was held in lieu of $750,000 bond after his arraignment Friday in Hartford Superior Court on charges of second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.
Hartford police arrested Hanson at his Main Street law office Thursday morning.
Before the latest arrest, Hanson had continued practicing criminal and immigration law while free on bonds totaling $100,000 from the first case, in which he is charged with second-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a child, and third-degree possession of child pornography.
Hanson's bail in the new case was originally set at $1.5 million. But Judge Bradford Ward cut the amount in half.
Bloomfield lawyer Aaron Romano, who represented Hanson at Friday's appearance, asked Ward to let Hanson go without a bond, on a promise to appear in court.
The "absolutely outrageously excessive" $1.5 million bond was inappropriate for Hanson, a married father of two and a lawyer for 18 years, Romano said.
Hanson is representing himself in the first criminal case and has never missed a court appearance, Romano said.
Unable to post a large bond, Hanson would be prevented from continuing to prepare for the first case, which was nearly ready for trial, Romano said.
Romano said that may be the state's intention because of what he said were "flimsy allegations at best" supported by "a reluctant witness."
That claim drew a sharp retort from Senior Assistant State's Attorney Thomas J. O'Brien.
"There's no call for that," O'Brien said.
Victims of sex crimes are often reluctant to come forward, O'Brien said, causing delays in cases.
The two cases against Hanson are made stronger, O'Brien said, by a "similar pattern" of conduct: Police say Hanson had sex on video with Hispanic teenage girls.
There are leads on two other girls, O'Brien said, and additional charges are possible.
The Connecticut Law Tribune reported in August that, at a hearing into whether Hanson's law license should be suspended while he fights the criminal charge, Hanson said he routinely videotapes his sexual encounters to protect against rape claims.
The new case grew out of the police investigation of the original case.
Hanson was arrested in September 2005 and a computer at his office seized.
Police say they found "numerous" digital photos on the computer of girls having sex with Hanson and in provocative poses -often in Hanson's office.
The girl in the first case worked occasionally in Hanson's office as a clerk. Police say she was 15 and 16 when she had sex with Hanson. Having sexual intercourse with anyone under age 16 is illegal.
According to a police affidavit, officers located the first girl's cousin in January, and she identified herself as being in the photos on Hanson's computer. But the girl told police that she was 16 when she had sex with Hanson in his office. She also told police that she knew she was being photographed and videotaped during the encounters.
But police say they interviewed the girl's older sister, and she said her sister was 15 when the sex pictures and videos were taken.
The older sister told police she had met Hanson outside Hartford Superior Court in February 2005, when he was handing out his business card to prospective clients. She told police she called him later to ask him a question about immigration, and Hanson hired her to work for him.
She too later developed a sexual relationship with Hanson, the girl told police, and he videotaped the encounters. But she was of age, so that relationship hasn't been the subject of criminal charges.
A week after police interviewed the older sister, she tried to recant her assertion that her sister was 15 when she had sex with Hanson, according to the affidavit.
But police say the girl appeared to have been coached - and they are now investigating "potential charges of witness tampering" against Hanson.
Hanson, who successfully defended an attempt by the state's chief disciplinary counsel to suspend his law license, could again be the subject of a disciplinary action as a result of the new arrest.
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