Oklahoma murder conviction reversed due to sexual relationship between judge, prosecutor

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma appeals court has thrown out a first-degree murder conviction because of a sexual relationship between the judge and a prosecutor in the case. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a new trial Thursday for Robert Leon Hashagen III. Hashagen was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of murder in 2021. His attorneys later appealed after evidence emerged of an undisclosed sexual relationship between Judge Timothy Henderson and one of the prosecutors in the case. Henderson resigned in March 2021 after three female attorneys raised allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Henderson was never charged and described sexual involvement with two of the women as consensual.