Ex-Pierce County Judge Michael Hecht to get $750 refund for prostitution school

Former Pierce County Superior Court Judge Michael Hecht should get a $750 refund for the court-ordered class he took on the negative effects of buying sex, an appeals court said Monday.

Hecht took the class as part of his sentence after he was convicted of patronizing a prostitute and felony harassment.

The Washington State Court of Appeals ultimately overturned the convictions, and in 2016 Hecht sought to recoup more than $1.6 million in restitution, including his tuition for the so-called “John School.”

King County Superior Court Judge James Cayce, who sentenced Hecht originally, said no to all but $2,050 (for court fees and a mandatory blood draw) of the restitution, including reimbursement of the “John School” fee.

Hecht appealed Cayce’s decision.

In a ruling released Monday, Division I of the state Court of Appeals agreed with Cayce — except for the “John School” fee.

“The trial court found that Hecht had received benefit from John School and reimbursement would amount to unjust enrichment,” Judge Michael Trickey wrote for the three-judge panel. “This was an abuse of discretion. Hecht was entitled to restitution of the money paid in satisfaction of his now vacated judgment and sentence.”

The appeals court found Hecht’s other requested reimbursements, including for lost wages and his deteriorating health after the conviction, were properly denied.

“While Hecht may have suffered these losses as consequences of his convictions, they were not paid in satisfaction of his judgment and the State was not unjustly enriched by them,” said the opinion, which was signed by judges David Mann and Michael Spearman.

A jury convicted Hecht in 2009 after prosecutors charged him with paying at least one man for sex and threatening to kill another he believed might have been talking about his behavior.

Hecht maintained his innocence but resigned before he was sentenced to 240 hours of community service and to attend the “John School.” He later was disbarred.

In 2014 the Court of Appeals decided that Hecht didn’t get a fair trial and overturned his convictions. That panel ruled PowerPoint slides the prosecution used as part of its closing argument, including some with the word “GUILTY” superimposed over photos of the former judge, were inflammatory and prejudicial.

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 7:30 AM with the headline "Ex-Pierce County Judge Michael Hecht to get $750 refund for prostitution school."