'US Porn Star Accused of Raping 21 People Diagnosed with Dementia During Trial'

34 Sexual Crime Charges Including Minors
Lawyer: "He Doesn't Even Recognize Me"

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seung-woo] An American porn star charged with sexual assault was transferred to a psychiatric hospital after showing symptoms of dementia during the trial.

According to a report by Reuters on the 17th (local time), the Los Angeles (LA) court in California recently approved state psychiatric hospital treatment and custody for porn actor Ron Jeremy (69). The decision was based on the judgment that the trial could not proceed further due to an incurable cognitive impairment.

Jeremy has been known to show mental health abnormalities since 2019. In July and October of last year, he underwent psychiatric evaluations ahead of the trial. Jeremy's lawyer stated, "I did not even recognize Jeremy," and added, "We tried to bring him to court, but he did not comply."

Jeremy is a legendary porn star holding the Guinness World Record for the most appearances in pornographic films. Since 1970, he has appeared in over 2,000 porn films. He was ranked number one in the "Top 50 Greatest Porn Stars of All Time" selected by the adult industry magazine Adult Video News (AVN).

From 1980, he also directed and participated in nearly 300 pornographic films. In 2001, a documentary titled "Ron Jeremy: The Legend of Porn" was produced about his life.

American porn star Ron Jeremy on trial.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

However, following the sexual crime scandal involving Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein at the end of 2017 and the global spread of the "Me Too" movement, Jeremy came under investigation by the LA authorities' task force dedicated to sexual crimes in the Hollywood film industry.

Ultimately, Jeremy was charged in August 2021 with 34 counts of sexual offenses against 21 women. The allegations include sexual assault of 21 women, including minors, at nightclubs, bars, photo shoot locations, and his home around the LA area from 1996 to 2019.

If all charges are proven guilty, Jeremy could face a prison sentence exceeding 330 years. Jeremy's defense attorney has denied the sexual crime charges, stating, "Jeremy has had over 4,000 lovers," and "He is completely innocent."

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, the LA prosecutor's office stated, "Jeremy, who was transferred to the psychiatric hospital, may be detained for up to two years," and "A hearing on the progress report is scheduled for May 8."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.