(Hartford, CT) – Sharmese L. Walcott, State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Hartford, today announced that a jury in Hartford Superior Court on September 20, 2024, found Danny Lawhorn, age 33, of Hartford, guilty of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-71(a)(9).
According to evidence introduced at the trial, in the early morning hours of June 13, 2021, Hartford Police officers were called to a hotel for a report of a minor sexual assault victim being present in the lobby. The victim indicated she was an international basketball player who was being hosted by Lawhorn to play for his local AAU team. Lawhorn was identified as the coach and director for the local AAU girls basketball league. The victim reported that Lawhorn sent her a voice message the evening before requesting assistance from her and sexually assaulted her during that encounter.
The victim contacted family members for direction of where to go for safety. Hartford Police were contacted and officers arrested Lawhorn following an interview where he admitted to the sexual encounter, knowing the youth was under the age of 18, and detailed his position as a coach for the athletic organization. The police also found Lawhorn to be in possession of crack cocaine, packaged for sale. He pleaded guilty to federal felony drug charges in U.S. District Court and was sentenced on February 9, 2024.
State's Attorney Walcott expresses gratitude to the jury for their time and attention during the trial and noted that the office is now turning its attention toward sentencing in this case and prosecuting two additional sexual assault cases pending against Lawhorn. State’s Attorney Walcott said the Hartford Police Department patrol officers and crime scene detectives “did a wonderful job seeing this complaint through and ensuring safety for the victim."
This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Meredith Clark and State’s Attorney Walcott, with the assistance of Inspectors Luis Rodriguez and Carlos Ocasio, and Paralegal Specialists Kelly Randall, Lakisha Malave and Antoine Campbell. The Honorable Michael J. Gustafson presided over the trial.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 14, 2024 in Hartford Superior Court.