In what can only be classified as an “O. Henry” twist, former porn king and legend with frat boys, Ron Jeremy, was forced to have his lawyer beg for compassionate release. Placed under a conservatorship earlier this year due to advanced dementia, the once infamous “Hedgehog” is but a former shell of the man he once was.
Indicted on 34 counts of sexual assault, a total of 20 women came forward with accusations. In June 2020, he first faced charges for the rape of four women at Hollywood bars and clubs. After those were filed, dozens of women came forward to tell their tale. Some of the stories go back to the 1990s.
Declared medically unfit due to “severe dementia,” his physical condition has taken a dramatic turn, and he needs around-the-clock care with experts who can deal with the man. Jail hospitals in LA and across the country have been unwilling to take Jeremy due to his dementia and behavior as a result.
Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Paul Thompson was forced to explain to victims via letter that Jeremy’s “medical condition has deteriorated to the point that he is essentially bedridden…I feel very badly that this is where we are, but it is beyond our control. His mental and physical condition deteriorated rapidly, and we were left with no other options. I’m sorry that we couldn’t get complete justice for you in court.”
As for what the women have to say, none have come forward to issue comments about the letter that they received. What can they say, though? They can express anger or remorse, but it won’t change the situation.
Jeremy’s attorney, Stu Goldfarb, said, “He’s not competent to go [on] trial, and he’s not been proven guilty, but he’s charged with a serious felony. What do you do with him? Most importantly, how do you protect the public, and equally as important, how do you protect his civil rights? He ends up in a facility that’s secure, so the public is not at risk, and he doesn’t have to be housed in prison.”
There’s not much else that can be done. The courts have chosen to let him have his medical release, but that’s literally because the prisons can’t deal with his dementia. It’s sad that women won’t get the justice they seek, but perhaps they still do, knowing that he’ll never be able to attack another woman again.
