Former gynecologist Robert Hadden, 64, is requesting a lenient three-year prison sentence for sexually abusing hundreds of patients. His lawyers argue that his current confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn has been marked by threats, extortion, and violence from fellow inmates who mistakenly believe he is a child molester. Hadden's legal team claims he lives in constant fear, experiencing weight loss, rashes, and tremors due to the hostile environment. They highlight his attempts to cope through religious activities and inmate tutoring.
Hadden's January conviction followed a trial where nine former patients testified about enduring sexual abuse during examinations. While his sentencing is scheduled for July 24, victims will deliver impact statements on June 28. His crimes carry a potential sentence of decades in prison. Hadden's lawyers contend that his 2016 state court guilty plea, which resulted in the loss of his medical license but no jail time, already addressed his offenses. They argue the federal charges, focusing on patients traveling from New Jersey and Nevada for examinations, are unwarranted as he was unaware of their origins.
Hadden practiced at prominent Manhattan hospitals—Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital—until allegations ended his career a decade ago. These institutions have subsequently settled civil claims from over 200 former patients for more than $236 million. During the federal trial, Hadden's defense didn't dispute the abuse but focused on the jurisdiction of the federal charges. The Bureau of Prisons has not yet responded to requests for comment, and federal prosecutors have declined to comment until their pre-sentencing submission.
Robert Hadden, center, leaves the federal courthouse in New York on January 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
