Lawyer Accused of Raping Women Who Answered Rough Sex Ad Says Secret Tape Will Exonerate Him

A San Francisco lawyer accused of raping three women who answered his ad for rough sex is offering new evidence in his defense: a secret tape of one of the encounters.

The existence of a videotape was revealed at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, report the San Francisco Appeal and KGO. Two women testified at the hearing about their encounters with the defendant, Robert Hoffman, who also goes by the first name Michael.

The first woman who testified is 19 years old, according to the stories. She said she had two consensual encounters with Hoffman, but was raped the third time when she visited Hoffman’s apartment without wanting sex. After the woman testified, Hoffman’s lawyer, Stuart Hanlon, said his client had secretly videotaped the third incident and the evidence will exonerate his client. Judge Bruce Chan will review the tape and rule on admissibility.

A second woman testified that she came to Hoffman’s apartment and became scared during their sexual encounter because she thought it would be more playful. Instead, she said, Hoffman used “very intense force” and forced her to have oral sex before she was able to break free.

The hearing is scheduled to continue on Friday.