E. Reese Hopkins

In April 2008, challenges were made to Hopkins' claims that he graduated from Fordham University in 1991.[4] In an interview with the Boston Herald, Hopkins said he graduated under a different name, citing "legal reasons". He added, "I had to go to college either under an emancipated name or under a guardianship, which is under my father’s name. It’s a private matter. I did graduate from Fordham University."[4][5]

On October 22, 2008, a week after being let go by WRKO, Hopkins was arrested at his Malden, Massachusetts home on a fugitive from justice charge. It is alleged that Hopkins raped a 12-year-old girl some four years earlier. He waived extradition to New York City, where he was charged with two counts of rape. One in the first degree, one in the second degree and one charge of endangering the welfare of a child.[6]

In a statement to the press, Hopkins denied the charges stating:

“She charged me on Oct. 1 of 2004. I was living in Manchester, Connecticut. I couldn’t have been there.”[7]

Not being able to make bail of $100,000 cash or $300,000 bond, Hopkins was held at Rikers Island for 2+1⁄2 years. In November 2009, he was offered a deal of time served if he pleaded guilty to a lower sexual offense and register as a sex offender. Hopkins professed his innocence and turned the deal down. He was finally put on trial March 2, 2011, when jury selection began. During the trial, Hopkins' accuser changed her story and the investigating detective was cut from the witness list. The trial ended in a mistrial on March 24, 2011 after two days of deliberation when eight of the jurors voted not guilty on all charges, and all but one juror voted not guilty on the most serious charge of child rape. Hopkins was finally freed on bail April 6, 2011, after bail was dropped to $20,000.[8] The prosecutor promised to file for a re-trial; however, the arrest of Hopkin's accuser on a gun charge has muddied the case, and a re-trial has not been filed.[9]