2024-11-21 08:18:00
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A woman reported to police that Pete Hegseth took her cellphone and blocked the door to a California hotel room in 2017, a detailed investigation shows , refused to let her out and sexually assaulted her.
Fox News host and President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Hegers, reportedly told police at the time that the encounter was consensual and denied any wrongdoing.
News of the accusations came to light last week, when local officials issued a brief statement confirming that a woman had accused Hegseth of sexual assault in October 2017 after she spoke at a Republican Women’s event in Monterey.
Hegseth’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Thursday. He said Hegseth made payments to the woman in 2023 to avoid baseless threats of lawsuits.
The 22-page police report, released in response to a public records request, details for the first time the woman’s alleged incident, which conflicts with Hegseth’s version of events. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel employee, another woman who attended the event and Hegseth.
The woman’s name has not been released, and The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted.
A spokesman for the Trump transition team said earlier Thursday that “the report confirms what Mr. Hegseth’s attorneys have said all along: that the incident was fully investigated and no charges were filed because police found the allegations to be false.” of.
The report did not say police found the allegations to be false. Police recommended that the case report be forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review.
According to the report, a nurse first notified investigators of the alleged sexual assault after a patient requested a review of the sexual assault. The patient told medical staff that she believed she had been attacked five days earlier but could not remember much of what happened. He reported that something may have been slipped into his drink before he entered the hotel room where the attack occurred.
The report said police collected unwashed clothes and underwear she wore that night.
The woman’s partner, who was staying at the hotel with her, told police he was worried about her after she did not return to her room that night. At 2 a.m., he went to the hotel bar, but she wasn’t there. She returned a few hours later and apologized saying she “must have fallen asleep.” A few days later, she told him she had been sexually assaulted.
The woman, who helped organize a California Federation of Republican Women conference attended by Hegseth, told police she saw the TV host behaving inappropriately throughout the evening and also saw him caressing the thighs of several women. She reportedly texted a friend that Hegseth gave off a “stalker vibe.”
After the event, the woman and others attended an afterparty in a hotel suite, where she said she confronted Hegseth and told him she “didn’t like the way he treated women,” the report said.
A group of people, including Hegseth and the woman, moved to the hotel bar. The woman told police that’s when “things got chaotic.”
She recalled drinking at a bar with Hegseth and others, according to the police report. He also told police he got into an argument with Hegseth near the hotel pool, a claim corroborated by a hotel employee who was dispatched to the altercation and spoke to police, the report said.
She told police she soon entered the hotel room with Hegseth, who took her phone and blocked the door with his body so she couldn’t leave, the report said. He also reportedly told police that he remembered “saying ‘no’ multiple times.”
Her next memory was of lying on a couch or bed with Hegseth taking off his shirt and leaning against her, his dog tags hanging from her body, the report said. Hegseth served in the National Guard and rose to the rank of major.
After Hegseth finished speaking, she remembers him asking her if she was “ok,” according to the report. He told police he had no memory of how he got back to his hotel room and suffered nightmares and memory loss.
At the time of the alleged assault in 2017, Hegseth, 44, was divorcing his second wife, with whom he has three children. After he gave birth to a child with the Fox News producer, who is now his wife, she filed for divorce, according to court records and Hegseth’s social media posts. Her first marriage, which ended in 2009, also ended due to Hegseth’s infidelity, according to court records.
Hegseth said he attended a party after the event, drank beer but not high alcohol, and admitted he was “upbeat” but not drunk.
He reportedly said he met the woman at a hotel bar and she took his arm back to her hotel room, surprising him because he had no intention of having sex with her initially.
Hegseth told investigators that the subsequent sexual encounter was consensual, adding that he explicitly asked her on more than one occasion if she was comfortable. Hegseth said the woman “showed signs of remorse” in the morning and he assured her he would not tell anyone about the encounter.
Years after the police investigation, Heggs made a payment to the woman as part of a secret settlement because Heggs was concerned she planned to sue, which he feared could expose him to prosecution, his attorneys said. Fired by Fox News Channel. Lawyers did not disclose the amount of the payment.
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Slodis is available to report from Washington, and Lindemann reports from Baltimore.
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This story was translated from English by AP editors with the help of generated artificial intelligence tools.
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What are the legal implications of conflicting accounts in sexual assault cases, particularly regarding consent and evidence?
**Interview Segment with Legal Expert on Sexual Assault Allegations Against Pete Hegseth**
**Host:** Welcome back to our program. Today, we’re discussing the serious allegations recently reported against Pete Hegseth, former Fox News host, involving an incident that allegedly took place in 2017. Here to provide insight on these events is legal expert Dr. Jane Thompson. Thank you for joining us, Dr. Thompson.
**Dr. Thompson:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** Let’s dive right in. A woman has come forward with accusations that Hegseth sexually assaulted her after a Republican Women’s event in Monterey. What are the key points that stand out from this case?
**Dr. Thompson:** Several alarming details have emerged from the police report. The woman reported that Hegseth took her cellphone, blocked the door to a hotel room, and refused to let her leave, which raises clear concerns about consent. She also mentioned that she felt something may have been slipped into her drink—these are serious allegations that warrant thorough investigation.
**Host:** Hegseth has claimed that the encounter was consensual and maintains he did nothing wrong. How does the legal system typically handle conflicting accounts like this?
**Dr. Thompson:** In situations like this, law enforcement tends to investigate both parties’ accounts in great detail, often interviewing witnesses—such as friends or hotel staff—and gathering physical evidence. It’s critical to assess credibility and corroborate evidence. In this case, the police report recommended forwarding the case to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for further review, which indicates they found merit for further examination.
**Host:** There are claims that the police found the allegations to be false, as suggested by a spokesman from the Trump transition team. How do we interpret this in light of the report that has been released?
**Dr. Thompson:** The police report does not assert that the allegations were false. It simply states that the case should be reviewed by the district attorney’s office. Statements from spokespeople or legal representatives can sometimes misrepresent the findings or the ongoing nature of the investigation. It’s essential not to conflate public statements with documented evidence.
**Host:** The report also mentions the woman’s subsequent actions following the incident, including her request for a review by a nurse. How could this impact the case?
**Dr. Thompson:** Her immediate report to medical professionals demonstrates a crucial step in seeking help. Medical documentation can serve as vital evidence in sexual assault cases. It shows that the alleged victim took her concerns seriously and sought assistance, which can bolster her credibility in legal proceedings.
**Host:** As the case develops, what advice would you give to individuals who may find themselves in similar situations?
**Dr. Thompson:** It’s paramount to seek help immediately, whether through friends, medical professionals, or law enforcement. Preserve any evidence, and document details of the incident as soon as possible. Sexual assault is a serious crime, and victims should know that there are resources and support systems available to help them navigate the legal process.
**Host:** Thank you, Dr. Thompson, for sharing your expertise on such a sensitive topic. This case certainly raises many important legal and social questions as it unfolds.
**Dr. Thompson:** Thank you for having me. It’s critical we continue to discuss these issues openly.
**Host:** Stay tuned as we continue to follow this story and provide updates on the situation.
