A US judge has ruled that porn actor Ron Jeremy is too mentally unfit to stand trial on dozens of rape and sexual assault charges involving 21 women.
Jeremy, 69, pleaded not guilty in August 2021 to more than 30 sexual assault charges, including 12 counts of rape, that occurred over a 23-year period in the Los Angeles area.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Harris said the decision was made because the actor was in a state of “incurable neurocognitive decline” from which he was unlikely to recover.
The actor is one of the biggest names in adult film, appearing in more than 2,000 films starting in the 1970s.
Jeremy has been in prison since his arrest in June 2020 and did not attend the hearing. Prosecutors have called for him to be reevaluated periodically.
The actor is accused of assaulting 21 women, ranging in age from 15 to 51, between the 1990s and 2019.
Attorney Stuart Goldfarb, representing Jeremy, told the court in March 2022 that his client could not recognize him when he visited him in the holding cell ahead of the court hearing.
Actor may be transferred to state hospital
Hearings will be held next month on the placement of the actor, whose legal name is Ronald Hyatt, at a state hospital.
Mr Goldfarb said in an email: “When he was arrested two years ago, I said he would be found not guilty.
“Two years have passed and based on the additional discovery I have received, I believe he will be found not guilty. Unfortunately, due to his mental condition, he will not appear in court and will not have the opportunity to clear his name.”
Ron Jeremy, one of the most famous porn actors of the 1970s and 80s, in 2006.Image: Associated Press
The alleged crimes took place at nightclubs and bars in the Los Angeles area, during the filming, and at Jeremy’s home, the district attorney’s office said.
read more:
Key moments in the Harvey Weinstein trial
Limousine seized from Andrew Tate’s villa
The charges stem from the district attorney’s task force created to investigate sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry following reports in 2017 about Harvey Weinstein and the #metoo movement.
Jeremy was one of the few people accused of working on the task force, and Weinstein himself was convicted of rape and sexual assault in December.
In August 2020, Jeremy tweeted: “Can’t wait to prove my innocence in court! Thank you all for your support.”