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Prominent Georgetown Law Professor Arrested, Charged In Domestic Violence Case

The former jailhouse lawyer may be headed back to jail.

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Stop Domestic ViolenceShon Hopwood is a name that is often celebrated within the legal profession as a case of true criminal reform. In case you’re not familiar with him, Hopwood served more than a decade in federal prison for bank robbery but he went on to go to law school, and later became a professor at one of the most prestigious law schools in the country.

Now, the Georgetown Law professor may be headed back behind bars, as he was recently arrested and stands accused of some rather disturbing allegations of domestic violence.

As first reported by the Daily Mail, Hopwood has allegedly been physically and verbally abusing his wife, Ann Marie Hopwood, who is also an attorney, for quite some time. Here are some of the shocking details from the most recent incident:

Cops were called to the Hopwood house in the Brookland area of Washington, DC, on September 24 after a 911 caller claimed Ann Marie had been locked in the basement. Authorities had been to the house several times before to check on claims of domestic abuse.

When they got there, Hopwood claimed his wife of 14 years was at a bluegrass concert in Laurel, Maryland, and said he couldn’t get in touch with her because she wouldn’t hear her phone over the loud music.

As another officer quizzed the lawyer, [Officer JP] Mcardle – who had had several previous interactions with Ann Marie – went outside and texted her.

She told him she was actually at the back of the house. Mcardle found her there sobbing with a broken finger, chipped tooth and numerous other injuries, allegedly sustained during a fight three days earlier.

“I am more than sure if I did not stay and find Ann Marie, she would not be with us today,’ Mcardle told the Daily Mail. Ann Marie now has an order of protection against Hopwood, and in her petition, she detailed four separate incidents where her husband allegedly hurt her physically, including once where she went to a hospital for her injuries.

Sources tell Above the Law that Hopwood abruptly stopped teaching two of his courses a few weeks ago. The Daily Mail reached out to the law school, and a representative stated that “Prof. Shon Hopwood is currently not teaching at Georgetown Law.”

Hopwood has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor assault charges and is awaiting trial. He faces 180 days in prison for each count if found guilty.

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If you’re involved in a verbally or physically abusive relationship, there are friends, family, and colleagues you can call. If you’re a victim of domestic violence, please reach out if you need help, before it’s too late. If you feel that you are in immediate danger, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

EXCLUSIVE: Bank robber-turned-Georgetown law professor Shon Hopwood – who mentored Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany – is arrested for allegedly beating his wife and landing her in the hospital as he now faces RETURN to prison [Daily Mail]

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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