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Former gynecologist Robert Hadden sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexual abuse of patients
A former gynecologist accused in lawsuits of sexually abusing more than 200 patients over the course of decades has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on federal charges related to four women.
Judge Richard Berman described the behavior of Robert Hadden, the convicted former Columbia University doctor, as “lewd, serious, out of control, depraved, extraordinary,” and the case as “like no other.” Berman also sentenced the 64-year-old Hadden to a lifetime of supervision after his release.
Hadden was indicted on charges related to cases in which patients traveled between states for their appointments with him and were sexually abused during what was supposed to be gynecological examinations. Prosecutors alleged in the 2020 indictment that Hadden also assaulted “dozens of female patients, including multiple minors” between 1993 and 2012.
During his trial, in addition to the four victims who traveled to New York City for appointments from as far away as Nevada, jurors heard from another five women who said they were abused by Hadden, as well as a nurse and former medical assistant who said they witnessed more assaults.
In total, Berman said Monday, the trial included “credible” evidence relating to 40 victims. He also noted that a U.S. probation office pre-sentence report estimated the total number of potential victims as “at least approximately 245.”
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Berman cited Hadden’s “prolific” history of abuse, which he described as likely dating back to the 1980s, and the vulnerability of his patients — most of whom were pregnant, some of whom experiencing serious medical issues — in recommending significantly more incarceration than a roughly five-year sentence the sentencing guidelines suggested.
Hadden, wearing a beige jail uniform, sat leaning forward with his face resting in his palm for much of the nearly four-hour sentencing hearing. An overflow audience that included many of his former patients — some moved to tears as Berman recounted Hadden’s abuses — watched in two separate courtrooms.
Prosecutors had asked for 25 years in court filings, while defense attorneys argued for three years.
During the trial, jurors heard from women who had been Hadden’s patients for years. They described trusting him as he helped them navigate pregnancy complications and other issues, but also the moments when that trust was irrevocably broken.
Several said Hadden would often seem as if he was concluding exams, only to turn around just after a nurse had left the room, saying he needed to check something else.
It was in these moments, the former patients said, that he would insert his tongue or ungloved fingers into their vaginas, or fondle their breasts for several minutes under the guise of performing an exam.
One recalled the fear she felt just after a nurse left the room when Hadden said, “one minute, stay there.” She feared he was examining a medical issue, and said she thought, “Oh my, something must be wrong.”
“I listened, I trusted him. I trusted him,” she said, before describing the doctor removing his gloves and assaulting her with his hands and tongue.
“All I could think was ‘How the hell do I get out of here? I have to get out of here,” she said.
Anthony DiPietro, an attorney who represented dozens of Hadden’s former patients in lawsuits against Columbia University, lauded the survivors for coming forward.
“You’ve literally done for that institution something that they have proven over, and over again, that they were incapable of doing themselves: get rid of this serial sexual predator,” DiPietro said.
“While I hope that today marks the end of a chapter for all of you who been exposed to this predator—if it hasn’t happened already—I hope that today can be used to start the transition from surviving, to healing, and growth.”
Defense attorneys did not claim Hadden was innocent of assaulting the women, saying during opening statements that “the harm they suffered is real and in some cases very raw.” Instead, Hadden’s attorneys contested that prosecutors could prove that Hadden lured the women across state lines.
Hadden’s attorney, Deirdre von Dornum, argued that the women at the center of the case chose to make appointments with Hadden.
“Cancel him, condemn him, do not convict him of a crime he did not commit,” she said during the January trial.
On Monday, she objected to the length of the sentence Berman imposed, saying the judge was relying on just two witness accounts in totaling the dozens of victims he factored into his decision.
Hadden previously entered a guilty plea in 2016 to two New York State charges of criminal sex act in the third degree and forcible touching. More than 200 of his former patients have settled lawsuits against Columbia University, reaching agreements totalling more than $230 million. The accusations against him were central to a campaign for the New York Adult Survivors Act, which in November opened a one-year window for survivors of sexual abuse to file lawsuits that would otherwise be barred by statutes of limitations.
In a statement to CBS News, a spokesperson for Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center said the hospital “is profoundly sorry for the pain that Robert Hadden’s patients suffered and his exploitation of their trust.”
“The prosecution of Hadden that led to his conviction of federal crimes showed how he purposely worked to evade our oversight and engineer situations to abuse his patients,” the spokesperson said. “We commend all the women who have come forward, especially those who shared their experiences so publicly during these judicial proceedings.”
Hadden has denied all allegations and charges beyond the two for which he entered the 2016 guilty plea. That deal included no jail time and allowed Hadden to be classified as the lowest level of sex-offender status — meaning he is not listed in New York State’s online sex offender registry.
Manhattan D.A. closes subsequent investigations into Hadden and Columbia University
In January 2020, Evelyn Yang, whose husband Andrew was running for president, brought a new spotlight to the case when she said in an interview that she was abused by Hadden.
Weeks later, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced it had assigned prosecutors to investigate new allegations against Hadden.
CBS News reported in September 2020 that the office was also investigating Columbia University’s handling of incidents involving Hadden, an investigation that was active as recently as October of last year.
Both investigations are now closed, a spokesperson for the office said Monday.
“After a rigorous investigation conducted under the supervision of senior leadership of our Major Economic Crimes Bureau and Sex Crimes Unit, the Office determined that any possible criminal charges were time barred by the Statute of Limitations,” the spokesperson said.
CBS News
Hurricane Milton rips roof off Tropicana Field — Tampa Bay Rays stadium that was used as staging site for responders
Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, was badly damaged Wednesday night as Hurricane Milton slammed the region. Video posted by CBS affiliate WTSP showed that the fabric that serves as the domed building’s roof had been ripped to shreds, exposing the stadium lights.
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue confirmed that there were no injuries in the incident. It was not immediately clear how much damage there was inside the stadium.
Drone video posted on social media showed the roof completely ripped to shreds with debris all over the field.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Dave Moore also posted images of the damaged stadium on social media.
WTSP reported that Tropicana Field had been hosting thousands of linemen and National Guard members as they prepared to respond to damage from the storm. Photos from earlier this week showed rows of cots covering the baseball diamond.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, said in a social media post that the staging area had already been relocated before the roof was damaged.
CBS Sports, citing the Rays media guide, reported that Tropicana Field features the world’s largest cable-supported domed roof and is “built to withstand winds of up to 115 miles per hour.”
According to the National Weather Service, Albert Whitted Airport, which is located about six minutes away from Tropicana Field, recorded wind gusts up to 101 mph during the 10 p.m. hour.
The stadium, located in St. Petersburg, opened in 1990 and initially cost $138 million, according to The Associated Press. It was due to be replaced in time for the 2028 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark.
After making landfall in Florida with a Category 3 status, Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category 1 storm and was expected to weaken as it moves over the Atlantic Ocean.
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Rafael Nadal, 22-time Grand Slam champion, is retiring from tennis after next month’s Davis Cup finals
Rafael Nadal announced Thursday he will retire from tennis at age 38 following next month’s Davis Cup finals.
Nadal won 22 Grand Slam singles titles during an unprecedented era he shared with his rivals in the so-called Big Three, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
“Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true,” Nadal said in an announcement on social media. “I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way”
The Spaniard indicated his decision was related to persistent injury problems.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end,” Nadal said.
Nadal’s unrelenting, physical style of play – every point pursued as though it were his last, sprinting and sliding into place for that high-bouncing bullwhip of a lefty forehand – made him one of the greats of the game and the unquestioned King of Clay, the slow, red surface on which he claimed his record 14 French Open championships.
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That’s more than anyone, man or woman, won at any one of the sport’s four major tournaments, a dominance celebrated by a statue of Nadal that stands near the main entrance to the grounds of Roland Garros and in the shadow of its main stadium, Court Philippe Chatrier.
Nadal added Thursday that he was excited to finish his career at the Davis Cup, which will be played in Malaga, Spain.
“I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country,” he said. “I think I’ve come full circle since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.”
Nadal has not played since the Paris Olympics, where he lost to old rival Djokovic in the second round of the singles tournament and reached the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
“I think it is the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined,” he said.
In 2022, Nadal won his 14th French Open singles title at the age of 36. At the time, he told “CBS Mornings” he “couldn’t be happier” — despite playing through pain.
“Well, I’m used to it, first of all,” he told CBS. “At the end of the day, it’s about passion and about how much you love what you do. And doing it all my tennis career, I think I had the determination to keep going.
“It doesn’t matter the situation that brings me to the position that I am today, that is unexpected without a doubt because at the age of 36, I thought I would be doing other things, not playing tennis… But here I am, and I couldn’t be happier,” he said.
CBS News
Hurricane Milton’s impact on South Florida: Squally conditions, tornadoes, flight cancellations
MIAMI – Windy conditions continued in South Florida Wednesday evening as Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm, made landfall on Florida’s west coast.
Milton was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph as it made landfall in Siesta Key near Sarasota. The storm is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds, flooding, and tornadoes as it moves across the state to the east coast.
South Florida experienced strong winds of 30 to 40 mph Wednesday, which are expected to continue through Thursday.
Milton’s impact on South Florida
Hurricane Milton spun at least two tornadoes in South Florida.
Earlier in the day, a tornado touched down along Alligator Alley in western Broward County near Collier County, though no damage was reported.
Another tornado touched down in the Wellington area of Palm Beach County, causing damage to some homes and bringing down trees.
All of South Florida had been under a tornado watch until 9 p.m. Wednesday. Several tornado warnings had also been issued for Broward County.
In recent days, South Florida has experienced a “one-two punch” of storms. A non-tropical low-pressure system brought heavy rain and flooding on Sunday and Monday, followed by Hurricane Milton’s approach on Wednesday, which was forecast to bring more rain and windy conditions through Thursday as the storm crosses the state.
The region remains under threat of flooding, with an expected rainfall of 4 to 7 inches or more.
Strong winds brought down a power line in Broward County near NE 28th Street in Wilton Manors.
Airports report delays and cancelations
Hurricane Milton continued to affect flights at South Florida airports on Wednesday.
Cancellations and delays were reported at Miami International Airport and at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International.
Nearly 2,000 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled by Wednesday night, according to the tracking service FlightAware. That includes over 380 flights canceled at Tampa International Airport.
When will conditions improve?
CBS News Miami
“By late Thursday, things will begin to wind down,” said CBS News Miami chief meteorologist Ivan Cabrera. “Conditions will improve into Friday, and we’re looking forward to a quiet and tranquil pattern setting up for the weekend and into next week.”
On Friday, there will be a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be cloudy with a 20% chance of rain in the day and 20% at night, according to NWS.
North winds will be around 14 mph with gusts as high as 23 mph during the day, and north winds of 10 to 13 mph with gusts as high as 22 will be seen at night.
CBS News Miami
Highs are expected to be near 86 and lows around 75.
Dangerous storm surge forecast for Florida
Forecasters warned of dangerous storm surge.
“The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the south of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves,” the hurricane center said.
“Rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches, are expected across central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday,” the hurricane center said.
“This rainfall brings the risk of considerable flash, urban and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding.”
Milton will also produce rainfall totals 2 to 4 inches across the Florida Keys through Thursday.
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