Porn actor Ron Jeremy was declared incompetent to stand trial on Tuesday for more than 30 counts of sexual assault and rape involving nearly two dozen women after experts determined he has "cognitive deficiencies," his attorney said.
Jeremy, 69, whose full name is Ronald Jeremy Hyatt, was initially charged in June 2020 with raping three women and sexually assaulting another in West Hollywood from 2014 to 2019. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's then filed additional charges against Jeremy later that year before unsealing a 34-count indictment against the adult film star in August 2021.
The charges include multiple counts each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual battery, and other crimes involving 21 women, including a 15-year-old girl, whom Jeremy is accused of sexually assaulting over a 23-year span.
The Los Angeles Times reported earlier this month that Jeremy has "severe dementia" and would be declared incompetent to stand trial, citing an email from a prosecutor. His attorney Stuart Goldfarb told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that a judge ultimately determined Jeremy was unfit to move forward with the legal proceedings after reviewing two reports regarding his "cognitive deficiencies" during a hearing at the county's mental health court in Hollywood.
"He’s lost some cognitive abilities," Goldfarb said by phone, "and he can't assist his defense because his memory is not there."
Goldfarb declined to comment on whether Jeremy was diagnosed with dementia. Last March, a judge suspended proceedings in the case after Goldfarb said Jeremy didn't recognize him, refused to get into his wheelchair, and was "nonresponsive" while in a courthouse cell.
The court will now have to determine where Jeremy will be placed while his criminal case remains pending, though it's unlikely he will ever regain competency to face trial. Greg Risling, a spokesperson for the district attorney's office, said a hearing to determine Jeremy's placement will be held on Feb. 7.
Risling declined to answer BuzzFeed News' questions about Jeremy's cognitive abilities. Jeremy was facing a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
"It's very unfortunate that he doesn't have the opportunity to go to trial," Goldfarb said.