The Legal Battle: The Prosecution of Robert Hansen

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Robert Chris Hansen entered a plea of guilty to larceny in a building in violation of AS 11.20.150. [1] He was sentenced to five years incarceration with the proviso that he be eligible for parole at the earliest possible date and that he receive psychiatric therapy to case his transition back into the community. Having the appropriate judge seemed crucial to that project: Prosecutors wanted to pre-empt Judge Seaborn Buckalew, their assigned judge in the Paulson case; Hansen’s attorney had clerked for Buckalew and that was a little too close for comfort. Hansen’s trial was a landmark prosecution in Alaska . Faced with insurmountable evidence, Hansen’s defence team negotiated a plea bargain to avoid the death penalty, which was not in effect in Alaska but could have been sought on federal charges due to the nature of the crimes. Hansen was officially charged with the abduction and rape of Cindy Paulson and the murders of Joanna Messina, Sherry Morrow, Paula Goulding, and the unidentified body known as “Eklutna Annie.” On February 28, 1984, Robert Hansen was sentenced to 461 years plus life in prison with no parole. On November 3 , 1983 , an Anchorage grand jury returned four indictments against Hansen: first-degree assault and kidnapping, five counts of misconduct in possession of a handgun, theft in the second-degree, and theft by deception in insurance fraud. Robert Hansen was a man who had been killing and raping women for a couple of years without anyone’s know how but finally he was investigated and through the well laid down laws that are contained in the American legal system, he was prosecuted and convicted for the wrong deeds that he did. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an unpublished opinion affirming the district court’s denial of Robert Hansen ’ s motion to suppress evidence. The evidence was found by Virginia State Troopers during a search of Hansen’s car after a valid traffic stop. Robert Hansen , also known as the “Butcher Baker,” was a notorious serial killer who terrorized Alaska in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His criminal activities left a dark mark on the state and raised numerous questions about safety, law enforcement, and the vulnerabilities of women in society. Three witnesses, who could tie Robert Hansen to weapons he tried to ditch after Cindy Paulson’s escape, couldn’t reach consensus as to which of the weapons in their possession belonged to Hansen. And then there was Hansen lawyer Fred Dewey ’ s failure to show for an evidence review with Anchorage D.A.