Former patients give gut-wrenching testimony in OBGYN sex abuse trial
NEW YORK (WABC) -- There was more gut-wrenching testimony Tuesday at the federal trial of former Columbia University OBGYN Robert Hadden.
Hadden is accused of sexually abusing patients over a 20-year period, including multiple minors.
More women shared with jurors how Hadden touched them inappropriately, made sexual contact, performed oral sex on them and asked about their sex lives during check-ups.
A former patient testified Tuesday that in 2008 when she was pregnant, with no warning, Hadden penetrated her with his fingers.
She said it was painful and felt like a lifetime.
"He said he was trying to feel the baby's head," she said.
Then she says he performed oral sex on her.
She sobbed on the witness stand as she described feeling confused and ashamed. The former patient was living in Pennsylvania at the time and driving two hours each way for appointments.
In 2016, Hadden pleaded guilty to state charges for sexually assaulting his patients. Because of a plea deal, he served no prison time and only lost his medical license.
In this case, Hadden is charged with persuading women to cross state lines for the purpose of sexually abusing them while treating them as their doctor.
Multiple victims of Hadden are expected to testify in the coming days of what they say happened to them at his hands in his office and how they had to cross state lines to do it.
Meanwhile more than 200 former patients settled lawsuits against Columbia University with agreements of more than $230 million.
Each of the federal charges against Hadden carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, so the 64-year-old faces more than 100 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
His defense is arguing that he never "intended" to abuse his victims, rather it was spur of the moment.
WATCH | Dr. Ashton weighs in on cases of abuse by gynecologists:
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