WASHINGTON – A Georgetown law professor was found guilty of beating his wife and obstructing justice on Friday—and this is not his first criminal conviction. 

What we know:

Shon Hopwood is a convicted bank robber. He spent more than 10 years in federal prison.

He got out, turned his life around and became a very successful lawyer and even a Georgetown law professor. 

It was a comeback story so unlikely that he was even featured on 60 Minutes.

But as U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro says Hopwood is being put back behind bars for beating his wife.

According to Pirro, he faces a minimum of five and a half years after a Superior Court jury found him guilty today on 10 of 11 counts of assault, contempt and obstruction of justice.

The backstory:

Hopwood was arrested late in 2023, accused of assaulting his wife during an argument in front of their children and then ordering her to remain in the basement of their home.  

Pirro said it was revealed later he’d in fact abused her emotionally and physically for years.

His trial was initially scheduled for last summer, but Pirro said Hopwood pressured his wife and kids to leave the jurisdiction, stay with a man he met in federal prison and not show up to trial! so that’s where the contempt and obstruction of justice charges come into play. 

What they’re saying:

“He’s an individual parading around as a prison reform activist, a batterer who left his handprints on his wife’s face, and the mother of his children, a batterer who left his wife with a black eye, a batterer who caused his wife to have a chipped tooth, and a batterer who broke his wife’s finger,” Pirro said in a Friday afternoon news conference. 

“Ironically, Hopwood is on the faculty of Georgetown Law School where he teaches criminal law and he was brought onto the faculty in a celebration of second chances. Mr. Shon Hopwood does not deserve any more chances,” she continued.

In a statement, a Georgetown Law spokesperson told FOX 5, in part, “Georgetown Law respects the judicial system and this jury’s decision. Domestic violence is horrific and antithetical to our values as an institution. Shon Hopwood remains on leave from his position as professor and we will review the matter and follow all applicable personnel processes. Beyond that, we cannot comment on personnel matters.”

What’s next:

His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 18.