Judge Allowing Witness Testimony For Hastert Sentencing Hearing
CHICAGO (CBS) --A judge will allow testimony from a person who says he was sexually abused by the former House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
Hastert admitted to arranging to pay $3.5 million to an unidentified person, known only as "Individual A" to cover-up un-disclosed misconduct.
Sources told CBS 2 that person was a former student of Hastert's at Yorkville high who accused him of sexual abuse.
Now, prosecutors say, a second alleged victim of Hastert's, known as "Individual D" may want to testify at his sentencing hearing.
A federal judge delayed that hearing until April 27, so that alleged victim can decide.
According to court transcripts, Judge Durkin said, "If Individual D wants to come in and talk about being a victim of sexual abuse, he's entitled to do so because that informs my decision about the history and characteristics of the defendant. It's that simple."
CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller says victim testimony would expose secrets Hastert had hoped to hide.
"It's Dennis Hastert's worst nightmare to have a victim come in and testify and talk about the underlying allegations which are all about sexual misconduct," Miller said. "He was hoping he'd never see that day."
The transcript also reveals that the sister of another alleged victim wants to testify as well. That appears to be Jolene Burdge of Billings, Montana, who has said her brother, Stephen Reinboldt, told her Hastert sexually abused him in high school.
Reinboldt was manager of the wrestling team Hastert coached. He died in 1995, from complications of AIDS.