Prosecutors say a Manhattan attorney strapped a shock collar on a woman and waterboarded her for seven hours during a charged assault.
Story Highlights
- A new 41-count indictment alleges a seven-hour assault using an electric shock collar and water submersion.
- The case builds on an earlier 116-count indictment involving six other women and similar tactics.
- Prosecutors say encounters were filmed and a coerced consent statement was used to deter reporting.
- Investigators previously found an apartment with many cameras and images of waterboarding, prosecutors said.
New Indictment Alleges Seven-Hour Torture Using Shock Collar
Manhattan prosecutors filed a new 41-count indictment that accuses attorney Ryan Hemphill of a seven-hour assault. The filing alleges he fastened an electric shock collar to a woman’s neck and repeatedly submerged her head in water. The account says he pulled her up before she blacked out and then pushed her under again. The charge describes a cycle of pain and fear that lasted hours. The report of the indictment comes through amNewYork’s coverage of the case.
Prosecutors also say Hemphill recorded parts of the attacks and forced the woman to say the acts were consensual. They allege he threatened to use his legal knowledge to have her arrested if she went to the police. This tactic, if proven, would match a pattern of coercive control and intimidation. It also raises the stakes for digital evidence, chain of custody, and authentication in court proceedings tied to the new charges.
Earlier 116-Count Case Frames a Pattern of Alleged Abuse
The Manhattan District Attorney previously announced a 116-count indictment against Hemphill tied to six other women. That case includes claimed use of restraints, electric devices, and threats. Prosecutors charged predatory sexual assault and related offenses, describing a method of control and harm that they say repeats across victims. The official announcement is a primary source and sets the baseline for the alleged pattern now cited in the new filing.
Media coverage of the earlier case detailed what investigators say they found inside Hemphill’s apartment. Prosecutors said the home was full of cameras and that some images showed women being waterboarded with duct tape on their heads and faces. Those claims suggest physical and digital evidence that, if admitted, may support the alleged pattern. They also show how technology can both enable and document violent acts in private spaces.
Due Process, Evidence, and Why This Case Grabs Public Attention
The Associated Press reported that Hemphill pleaded not guilty in the earlier 116-count case. A plea is a legal right and does not decide the facts. The government still must prove each charge beyond a reasonable doubt. That standard protects both the accused and the public by forcing the state to meet a high bar before taking away liberty. Trials test claims, check evidence, and give jurors a clear record to weigh.
This case also speaks to a wider fear that bad actors can hide in plain sight. Prosecutors say a well-connected professional used legal knowledge and home surveillance to trap and silence women. Many Americans worry that the system shields the powerful, while victims struggle to be heard. A careful court process, with tested evidence and clear rulings, is how a free society checks that fear and holds anyone—elite or not—accountable if the proof is there.
Sources:
nypost.com, amny.com, people.com
