BOSTON (WHDH) - A hearing was held Wednesday regarding a civil lawsuit that alleges former Senate President Stan Rosenberg knew his estranged husband Bryon Hefner posed a risk to individuals at the Massachusetts Statehouse and Rosenberg and Hefner had an agreement or understanding allowing Hefner access to those individuals.
The lawsuit, which names both men, was filed in Suffolk Superior Court last month on behalf of an unnamed plaintiff who said Hefner grabbed his genitals without consent on more than one occasion.
Lawyers representing Rosenberg and Hefner argued that the name of the accuser should be made public to level the playing field and that an anonymous allegation is unfair.
The suit also alleges the plaintiff suffered ongoing emotional distress and physical harm, including “depression, anxiety, muscle tension, gastrointestinal distress and impaired sleep.”
Attorney Mitchell Garabedian argued that his client’s name should not be made public for the sake of his mental health.
“All victims of sexual abuse should be proud and strong and step forward. It’s an incremental approach for many victims,” he said. “Some victims will not come forward for decades and it’s not unusual, and then when they do come forward, they want to impound their identities. After time, they realize they are strong enough to reveal their identities.”
A judge has not yet ruled on the lawsuit.
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