Ben Schachtman: So Aaleah, let’s go back to the start of this trial, and recap everything leading up to the deliberation.
Aaleah McConnell: Good idea Ben, so the case started when Hasson was arrested in February of 2019, for sexually abusing what we thought at the time were just four patients. The assaults would occur while the patients — all females, ranging from ages 12 to 69 - were under anesthesia for their dental surgery. Consequently, Hasson’s license was suspended by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, and he was held in custody under a $1.25 million bond, which was lowered to $600,000. Hasson bailed himself out a few months after that. Connie Jordan, Assistant District Attorney with the New Hanover and Pender County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuted the case from beginning to end
Ben: You sat down with Connie Jordan. How did she put together a compelling argument in this case?
Aaleah: Well, Jordan specializes in violent crime and human trafficking, and said she has been doing so for nearly three decades. Just to give some background on Jordan, she worked on the missing person case of Miyonna Jones in 2022, and worked alongside former District Attorney Ben David on the case of former New Hanover County teacher Michael Earl Kelly. Most recently, she prepared 19 women to testify before a jury against Hasson, resulting in an 80-year sentence after he was found guilty on 24 counts of sexual assault. Here’s Jordan recounting her initial involvement in the case:
Jordan: “Yeah, so it would have been sometime in the middle of 2018. I received a call from the Wilmington Police Department. A woman had reported to New Hanover Regional Medical Center emergency department after having oral surgery, she had pain in her vaginal area and had actually gone to the emergency department to have a sexual assault examination after having oral surgery.”
Ben: What were Jordan’s next steps after that?
Aaleah: Jordan said she continued to work closely with the detective on this case and uncovered a series of reports filed with the Wilmington Police Department, including a report that one of Hasson’s former employees witnessed him inappropriately touching a 17-year-old patient. Sexual assault evidence collection kits were used on several victims after their visit with the oral surgeon, and there was one that displayed a significant presence of male DNA that did not belong to the victim’s husband. With that, Jordan was able to move forth with charges against Hasson. Once news got out, Jordan said, calls started flooding in, and she was inundated with complaints about Hasson:
Jordan: “I was over 100 calls that were fielded by the Wilmington Police Department. We ended up charging a total of 23 victims. We were able to go forward with 19 at trial, we thought we would have a little more than that."
“Even with the reports, with what we ended up being able to charge, I felt like that was the tip of the iceberg. I really did. I still do feel like that.”
Ben: Right, this case has been going on for a long time. Since the initial arrest there’s been a separate domestic violence case, a $4 million civil suit judgment against him, and a dust-up on social media after Hasson was hired at a local restaurant. Years went by, and we’ve had countless emails and calls about it – asking, basically, what was taking so long.
And a big part of that, you learned from following the case, was getting these 19 women to agree to testify, and then collected evidence and preparing for trial.
Aaleah: That’s right. We can’t overstate how much time and energy that took.
Ben: So, you followed the trial, what was some of the pivotal evidence Jordan presented?
Aaleah: Well during the trial — those 19 women — one, after another, testified that they felt vaginal pain following their dental procedures with Hasson.
Some recalled waking up to Hasson’s touch on their abdomens; and right before they fell under another wave of sedation, he’d lean in and whisper vulgarities like ‘How does that feel?’ - Jordan used that to paint a picture of just how much Hasson violated the trust these women and young girls placed in him as a medical professional.
And Jordan said another vital piece of evidence was a video captured by one of the patients, it showed Hasson taking the phone out of the patient’s pocket.
Jordan: “One victim was really uncomfortable with the thought of being put under sedation, and so her husband had suggested to turn on her phone, started recording, put it in airplane mode, and tucked it in her pocket.”
“So she did that, and it's very clear. You saw in the trial that he pulled that phone out of her pocket. She was in the dental chair, laid back under anesthesia, wearing her clothing with blankets on top of her, and he went up underneath that blanket.”
Aaleah: In this case, however, there was a trail of evidence left behind, with that video, DNA evidence, and witness testimonies. All this, along with Jordan's legal know-how, gave the jury enough reason to find Hasson guilty of all charges, and he was sentenced to over 80 years in prison, effectively giving him a life sentence.
Jordan said this was a heroic feat for the 19 women who came forward.
Jordan: “I know a lot of them were hesitant. A lot of people were concerned that they wouldn't be believed over the word of a doctor. I'm just very grateful for them all and inspired by them all. I think they were brave and strong, and I think our world is a safer place because of them.”
Ben: Aaleah, thank you for reporting on this.
Aaleah: Yeah, of course Ben. It was a pleasure, and big thanks to Connie Jordan for coming to the station to share the details of this case with me.
