A Scott County jury on Tuesday acquitted a former Renaissance Festival manager of sexual assault.
Renaissance Festival manager found not guilty of criminal sexual conduct
Carr Hagerman was found not guilty on two counts.
June 8, 2022 at 12:00AM
Carr Hagerman was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with allegations that he raped a freelance photographer in September 2017.
The case was dropped in October 2020 because his accuser was unable to travel due to COVID-19 concerns but was refiled in October 2021.
Hagerman, of Richfield, managed hundreds of entertainers at the festival each year. For four decades, he also performed at the event. He was known for his role as the Rat Catcher, a character who taunts fairgoers. His employment by the festival ended in November 2017.
According to the criminal complaint, Hagerman had lured the photographer to a building on the Scott County fairgrounds on a festival weekend in September.
The photographer said Hagerman had taken "some sort of pill" before sexually assaulting her.
When questioned, Hagerman told law enforcement that he had spoken to the woman only a few times and didn't have a sexual relationship with her.
In June 2021, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights said that it reached a settlement with the company that runs the Renaissance Festival in connection with the incident.
The department found that Mid-America Festivals Corp., based in Shakopee, violated the Human Rights Act when it failed to provide a safe work environment free from sexual assault and harassment.
The settlement required Mid-America to establish and carry out anti-harassment policies and ensure staffers are trained to identify and address sexual harassment and assault.
The company also must ensure there are multiple ways to report harassment and assault. The Department of Human Rights will monitor Mid-America to ensure compliance.
