In a significant turn of events, a man convicted of murder in Oklahoma is set to receive a new trial after it was discovered that the judge who sentenced him had engaged in a sexual relationship with one of the prosecutors involved in the case.

Robert Leon Hashagen III was convicted in February 2021 for the murder of 94-year-old Evelyn Goodall in 2013. However, after the revelation of the undisclosed sexual relationship between Judge Timothy Henderson and a prosecutor, Hashagen’s defense team appealed the conviction.

In a 3-2 decision, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled on Thursday in favor of a new trial for Hashagen, citing that the undisclosed relationship violated his due process rights. The court recognized that the sexual involvement between the judge and prosecutor had a significant impact on the entire trial and could not be disregarded.

Judge William Musseman stated, “The failure of the judge and prosecutor to scrupulously avoid the potential for an error of this kind is indeed a betrayal of the high ethical standards to which all legal professions should aspire.”

Judge Henderson, who is married, resigned in March 2021 following allegations of sexual misconduct made by three female attorneys. Despite admitting to the consensual nature of the relationship, he maintained that he had acted impartially as a judicial officer throughout the Hashagen case.

A special prosecutor’s investigation into the allegations against Judge Henderson did not find evidence of nonconsensual sexual contact. However, the revelation of the undisclosed relationship raised concerns about the integrity and fairness of the trial, leading to the decision to grant a new trial for Hashagen.

The case highlights the importance of maintaining ethical standards within the legal profession and ensuring the impartiality of judges and prosecutors. The upcoming retrial will provide an opportunity to reexamine the evidence and ensure that justice is served in a manner that upholds the principles of due process and fairness.