Former adult entertainment star Ron Jeremy has been sent to a state psychiatric hospital after it was found he was incompetent to stand trial on numerous charges of rape and sexual assault.
Jeremy, 69, can be held at the hospital for up to two years, with a hearing on his progress set for 8 May, the District Attorney’s Office has said.
Jeremy, whose legal name is Ronald Hyatt, was charged with over 30 counts of sexual abuse against more than 20 women, aged between 15 and 51, across a 23-year period.
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He had pleaded not guilty to the changes.
But last month, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Harris ruled that Jeremy was not competent to assist in his defence.
Judge Harris said Jeremy was living with ‘incurable neurocognitive decline', with medical reports stating he has dementia, is 'incoherent' and has hearing loss.
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According to an email from LA County Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson, obtained by The Los Angeles Times, mental health experts have determined that Jeremy is suffering from severe dementia.
The email added that there is no evidence of Jeremy faking his symptoms.
"As a result of the agreement of the experts, the defendant will be declared incompetent to stand trial," the email allegedly reads.
"His prognosis for improvement is not good.
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"If he does not improve, we will not be able to try him for his crimes. Because criminal proceedings are suspended as long as he is incompetent, we also cannot get a guilty plea from him or discuss other measures to get justice for the victims in this case."
During the height of his career, Jeremy was one of the biggest names in the porn industry.
He was arrested in 2020 after allegations about his sexual misconduct came to light.
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In a post on Twitter in August 2020, Jeremy had vowed to fight the accusations, writing: “I can't wait to prove my innocence in court! Thank you to everyone for all the support.”
Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, one victim said she was ‘disappointed’ that the case would no longer go to trial.
She said: “They were aware of his condition before getting us all involved.
“They were well aware he had dementia, so I'm very disappointed that they didn’t solve that bit before letting us go on that emotional journey for two and a half years.”
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In an interview with the Mirror, she added: “I really can’t put it into words how angry I am. I will never get closure.
“He could have been brought to justice much sooner, but Ron was built up to be this king who was untouchable and his lawyers kept delaying the case.
“I felt abused again and like a pawn in a game. It felt like getting hit in the stomach by a 200mph tennis ball.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 between 12pm–2.30pm and 7pm– 9.30pm every day. Alternatively, you can contact Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111 available 24/7, every day of the year, including Christmas
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For US readers - If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact RAINN via its helpline on 800 656 HOPE (4673) or its online chat, available 24/7 seven days a week.
Claire Reid