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A 41-year-old Hanceville man indicted on six charges of child sex abuse and torture has requested that he be tried as a youth offender.
A Cullman County grand jury indicted Howard Hagemore, of Cagle Rd., in January. The charges allege Hagemore engaged in criminal, forcible sex acts with children younger than twelve. The most recent charge stemmed from a reported 2006 incident involving a now 4-year-old child. However, the remaining five charges stemmed from incidents dating back to the early and mid 1980s, when Hagemore was under 21 years old.
"He was a teenager during the time period some of this happened," said Hagemore's attorney, Steve Smith. "The law says when you commit a crime under the age of 21, you are eligible for youthful offender status. It doesn't automatically grant it."
Hagemore's mother, Drucilla Hagemore, says she's not sure if the allegations are true or not. She says her son, who is mentally retarded, has the mindset of a 15 or 16 year old, and doesn't know why he's in trouble.
"He plays with toys. He doesn't want anyone to know that, but he does," she said.
According to Smith, Hagemore's trial was postponed so he could undergo a mental evaluation. If it's determined he is, in fact, mentally capable of going to trial, a judge will have to rule on whether he is eligible for youthful offender status. If so, it could mean the difference between prison time or no prison time for a conviction.
"I hope he doesn't go to prison, because he won't make it," Hagemore's mother said.
"We need to find out what the law was in 1985, 1986, and figure out where we need to go with it," Smith said.
Some people who know Hagemore describe him as a "kind and gentle," but "slow," man. Many say they were shocked to read about the indictment in the newspaper, and have a hard time believing the allegations, especially so many years after the alleged incidents occurred.
"All he's ever done is help me, help my family," said Tyler Brown, who says he's Hagemore's neighbor. "I think (the indictment) is a bunch of crap."
Cullman County Sheriff Tyler Roden says it's not uncommon for victims of child sex abuse cases to come forward years later.
"A lot of times, as children that have been molested, it may not ever come out," Roden said. "They may not ever make a revelation to what's happened to them until they're in adult years."
Hagemore is out on $50,000 bond and is living at home in Hanceville.
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