Prosecutors say a New York attorney strapped a shock collar on a woman and waterboarded her for seven hours during a new alleged attack tied to an already sprawling sex-crimes case.
Story Highlights
- Manhattan prosecutors filed a new 41-count case alleging a seven-hour torture assault involving a shock collar and waterboarding.
- The defendant was already charged in a separate 116-count indictment tied to six other women.
- Earlier filings allege recordings, multiple cameras, and devices used to restrain and shock victims.
- The defendant has pleaded not guilty; no court has reached a verdict.
New Allegation Describes Seven Hours of Assault and Coercion
Manhattan prosecutors alleged that attorney Ryan Hemphill attacked a seventh woman in a single episode that lasted about seven hours. The indictment summary reported by amNewYork says Hemphill placed an electric shock collar around the woman’s neck and held her head underwater, lifting her before she lost consciousness and repeating the act. Prosecutors also say he recorded the encounter and forced a consent statement. The report says this new filing contains 41 counts linked to that episode.
Prosecutors’ description of the new charges mirrors methods they have already put on the record. They say Hemphill used restraints, electrical devices, and staged recordings to control victims and deter reports. The amNewYork account notes claims that he threatened to use his legal knowledge against the woman if she went to police. The report does not publish the indictment text but attributes the details to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and recent court activity in New York County.
Earlier 116-Count Case Sets Pattern and Evidence Claims
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office previously announced a 116-count indictment charging Hemphill with predatory sexual assault, rape, assault, and related crimes tied to six women. The office alleged a pattern that included handcuffs, duct tape, cattle prods, and a shock collar inside a Midtown apartment. Those charges present a theory that the assaults were planned, repeated, and filmed over time to trap victims in fear and compliance, according to the official announcement.
Reporting about the earlier case has pointed to claimed physical evidence and images. ABC News reported that prosecutors said investigators found the apartment filled with cameras. They said images depicted women being waterboarded with duct tape wrapped around their heads and faces. That account supports the state’s broader pattern claims and helps explain why the new allegation sounds similar to the earlier case prosecutors described to the court and the public.
Defense Posture, Legal Status, and Why This Case Matters
The Associated Press reported that Hemphill pleaded not guilty to the 116-count indictment. That means the allegations remain claims and must be tested in court. The new seven-hour allegation is now added to that backdrop, with a separate 41-count filing reported this week. The legal process will sort admissible evidence, including any recordings, devices, or forensic material, before a judge or jury weighs the facts and the law in New York State court.
This case raises hard questions that reach beyond any one defendant. Police and prosecutors say alleged sexual assaults often happen in private and may involve coercive control, staged “consent” clips, and fear that keeps victims silent. Research reviews have found that confirmed false reports are uncommon, typically estimated in the low single digits to about one in ten, depending on method and definition. That context explains why investigators focus on corroborating patterns and physical evidence where possible.
Public Trust and the System’s Burden to Prove the Case
Many Americans doubt powerful people will face equal justice. This case touches that nerve. Prosecutors describe a professional who used status, planning, and recording to harm others. If true, it shows how abusers can hide in plain sight. If not proven, it shows why due process protects everyone. The courts must now test the evidence, count by count. Clear rulings and transparent trials help rebuild trust that the system can handle complex and painful cases fairly.
Sources:
nypost.com, amny.com, people.com
