Hadley Palmerthe Connecticut socialite who went to jail last November for secretly record minors in his $10 million mansion, now walks free.
The Greenwich mother-of-four entered a transitional supervision program and was granted early release on Wednesday, the state Department of Correction confirmed to The Daily Beast. Under this program, which is similar to parole, inmates serving a sentence of two years or less can serve the remainder of their sentence in a halfway house or with a sponsor.
“She’s in the community,” said public information officer Andrius Banevicius, who noted that the 54-year-old inmate is still serving her sentence, just outside the prison walls.
Reached by phone Wednesday, Palmer declined to comment.
Between her first 90-day stint in prison last spring and the 71 days she completed this winter, Palmer has served less than half of her one-year sentence in a state penitentiary.
When she was arrested in October 2021, Palmer was charged with employing a minor in a lewd performance and second-degree child pornography. Greenwich Police say Palmer filmed three minors without their knowledge and for his own sexual gratification in 2017 and 2018, and one of the victims was 15 or younger.
In January 2022, she pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism and one count of risk of injury to a minor. As part of a plea deal, she agreed to serve an initial 90-day sentence at York CI, the state’s only facility for female prisoners, before her November sentencing.
During the sentencing hearing, State’s Attorney Paul Ferencek revealed that Palmer recorded the undressed and sometimes fully naked victims at his waterfront home in Belle Haven and shared the images with an anonymous third party. She faces up to 5 years behind bars.
Stamford Superior Court Judge John Blawie – who sealed Palmer’s case from public view to protect victims – ordered him to serve a year in prison and 20 years probation. She is required to register as a sex offender for the next decade.
Blawie also granted a female victim a 30-year criminal protection order, barring Palmer from contacting her.
Little is known about the criminal case against Palmer, and it is unclear why she was arrested years after her crimes. The daughter of prominent hedge fund founder Jerrold Fine, Palmer was known in Greenwich society circles and photographed at charity fundraisers with her ex-husband, venture capitalist Brad Palmer.
The sealing of the Palmer case, which The Associated Press opposed, raised concerns about a two-tier court system that favors the wealthy. “Judge Blawie said in his lengthy sealing decision that it was not possible to protect victims with redactions, as is commonly done in similar criminal cases,” noted David Collins, columnist for a local newspaper. . The day. “I find that hard to believe. You can redact a lot and still leave a lot. Even though most documents need to be redacted, it is possible to at least make an effort to be transparent.
Yet Palmer is not without supporters.
An acquaintance told The Daily Beast they thought there was more to Pamer’s story and were glad she was released. “I think that’s great,” the person said, adding disturbing accusations against them: “On the surface it’s one thing and when you know someone it’s another.”
“Please let her know that there are a lot of people who believe in her and saw the story for what it was,” the person continued.
Palmer’s arrest came amid her combative divorce, leading to speculation among acquaintances that Brad may have reported her to the police.
In family court filings, Palmer repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination in response to Brad’s discovery requests, including copies of “photographs, video and audio recordings sent or received of anyone with whom you have had a sexual or romantic relationship. relationship, whether in person or solely by remote means. She also objected to a request for “any reports from private investigators or other oversight” regarding her “spouse or any children of the marriage.”
For his part, Palmer requested records of “background checks, surveillance, or other services of any private investigators, police, or investigative services purchased by or on your behalf.”
Palmer filed for divorce in June 2020, saying her marriage had “fallen apart irretrievably.” Her ex-spouse filed a countersuit soon after, seeking custody of the couple’s minor child (they also share three adult children) and spousal support. The case is ongoing.
In January of this year, Palmer’s divorce attorneys revealed her early release date in a motion to postpone a scheduled status conference so she could attend. They noted that their client would be released no later than March 1.
Palmer’s lawyers did not return messages left by The Daily Beast.
Banevicius said that to be eligible for supervised release, an inmate must prepare paperwork for the correctional service’s community release unit. They must also arrange for an inspection of the house where they will stay for the rest of their sentence.
“The reason we do parole and community release is that it has been statistically proven that for inmates the risk of recidivism is reduced when they are given a period of supervised release before the end of their sentence rather than just keeping them incarcerated,” Banevicius said, adding that Palmer’s maximum release date is August 20.
“It’s on or to [Aug. 20] assuming she is not arrested again, that she does not violate her terms,” he said.
Generally, he added, the rules an inmate upon release must follow include abstaining from drugs and alcohol and not leaving the state without permission.
“Be a law-abiding citizen,” he said.