This man has had two strikes in less than a week. Former WRKO talk host Reese Hopkins who was JUST laid off last week from his midmorning radio slot has now been ordered held without bail yesterday and will be transported to New York City to face charges that he raped a 12-year-old girl!!! Good Lord…. This according to the New York district attorney’s office and police.
Hopkins, 39, is charged with one count of first-degree rape and one count of second-degree rape, said Manhattan district attorney spokeswoman Jennifer Kushner. The rape allegedly occurred four years ago. (???? don’t know what the statute of limitations is in NYC but after 4 years, do the police need evidence?). New York police Detective Martin Speechley said the victim, who was 12 at the time of the alleged rape, was visiting a friend’s apartment in Manhattan when Hopkins allegedly raped her.
Hopkins lived in the apartment with his girlfriend, who was the mother of the girl...the alleged victim was visiting, Speechley said. The girl, who is now 16, told her mother about the incident this past summer, and her mother called police. (something is not right about this… what do you think?)
“We only became aware of it this year,” Speechley said. First-degree rape is defined as when a person 18 years old or older having sexual intercourse with someone who is younger than 13 years old. Second-degree rape is defined as when a person 18 years or older has sexual intercourse with a person who is younger than 15 years old, Kushner said, citing New York law.
Julie Kahn, vice-president of Entercom New England, owner of WRKO-AM (680), said in a statement today: “We recently learned of the allegations regarding our former employee, Reese Hopkins, and obviously are troubled by them. As the matter is pending in court, however, we will have no further comment.” Police arrested Hopkins, who lives in Malden, on Wed.
Hopkins, who is listed as Edward Maurice Hopkins on the warrant, pleaded not guilty today in Malden District Court on a fugitive from justice without warrant charge. Hopkins is waiving extradition, and his attorney said he is scheduled to return to New York tomorrow. Upon his return, he will be arraigned in New York, Kushner said.
After court, Hopkins denied the charge as he was being led into a Middlesex County Sheriff’s van. “She charged me on Oct. 1 of 2004. I was living in Manchester, Conn. I couldn’t have been there,” he said, wearing shackles and appearing shaken and disheveled. “She was a former friend of my daughter.”
When asked how old the friend was, Hopkins said, “I don’t quite remember.” Hopkins’ girlfriend, who declined to give her name, called the allegations a “vendetta.” “He’s a warm, loving, good-natured person. It’s a false allegation,” said his girlfriend of seven years. She said Hopkins was arrested as the couple headed out to dinner. Hopkins was asked about a possible vendetta as he was leaving. [source]
