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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Harassment criminal (incl. Aggravated) |
Sentence: |
30 days in jail converted to 240 hours community service |
Years Imprisoned: |
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Year Crime: |
2009 |
Year Convicted: |
2009 |
Year Cleared: |
2014 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Washington |
County or Region of Crime: |
Pierce |
City of Crime: |
Tacoma |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated |
Summary of Case: |
"Michael Andrew Hecht was wrongly convicted on October 28, 2009 by a jury in Pierce County, Washington of felony harassment and misdemeanor patronizing a prostitute. Hecht was elected a Pierce County Superior Court Judge in November 2008, and the charges were filed against him on February 9, 2009. Hecht's convictions were based on testimony that he bought sex from one young man and threatened to kill another to keep him from talking about their previous sex-for-money relationship. After a six day trial the jury convicted Michael Hecht after deliberating for less than four hours. Hecht resigned his $148,000 a year position as a Pierce County Superior Court Judge on November 16, 2009, and three days later, on November 19, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail that the sentencing judge converted to 240 hrs community service, and he was also ordered to attend “john school,” where people who patronize prostitutes are educated about the negative effects of their behavior. In August 2010 the Washington Supreme Court approved removal of Hecht's law license. On February 18, 2014 the Washington Court of Appeals reversed Hecht's convictions and ordered a new trial based on the prosecutor misconduct of using multiple slides during closing argument showing Hecht's photograph with a large red "GUILTY" superimposed over his face. The Pierce County District Attorney declined to retry Hecht and on June 16, 2014 filed a motion to dismiss the charges, which was granted by a superior court judge on June 18, 2014. In January 2016 Hecht filed a lawsuit in Pierce County seeking about $1.5 million in restoration and restitution that includes: $59,000 in attorney’s fees; $4,400 in court-ordered fines, fees and “john school” costs; $750,000 for “the severe deterioration of his physical and emotional health” in the wake of his convictions; $446,000 in lost salary from the judgeship he resigned; $240,000 for four years of attorney work he was unable to perform; and, $50,000 in expenses anticipated to regain his law license." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"On February 18, 2014 the Washington Court of Appeals reversed Hecht's convictions and ordered a new trial based on the prosecutor misconduct of using multiple slides during closing argument showing Hecht's photograph with a large red "GUILTY" superimposed over his face. The Pierce County District Attorney declined to retry Hecht and on June 16, 2014 filed a motion to dismiss the charges, which was granted by a superior court judge on June 18, 2014." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
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Age When Released: |
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Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"State v. Hecht, 319 P. 3d 836, 179 Wn. App. 497 (Wash Court of Appeals, 1st Div. 2/18/2014) (Reversing conviction and ordering a new trial based on prosecutor misconduct of showing the jury graphics with "GUILTY" written on them.)" |
Information Location 1: |
"https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=7108162059653805102&q=Michael+Hecht&hl=en&as_sdt=4,48" |
Information Source 2: |
"Former Pierce County judge seeks $1.5 million after convictions overturned, By Adam Lynn, Tacoma News-Tribune, February 5, 2016" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article58725228.html |
Information Source 3: |
"Former judge Michael Hecht is sentenced for making threat, buying sex, By Adam Lynn, Tacoma News-Tribune, November 19, 2009" |
Information Location 3: |
http://blog.thenewstribune.com/crime/2009/11/19/former-judge-michael-hecht-is-sentenced-for-making-threat-buying-sex/ |
Information Source 4: |
"State of Washington v. Michael Andrew Hecht, No. 09-1-01051-1 (Pierce County Superior Court) (Docket)" |
Information Location 4: |
https://linxonline.co.pierce.wa.us/linxweb/Case/CriminalCase.cfm?cause_num=09-1-01051-1 |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org