Instead of 'I do,' Hecker says 'I didn't'

In the hands of disgraced and jailed former auto mogul Denny Hecker, even a Bible can lead to trouble.

According to federal prosecutors, Hecker tried, but failed, to pull off an impromptu wedding with his longtime girlfriend Christi Rowan during a visit Wednesday to the U.S. Attorney's office. The visit was originally set up so Hecker could review numerous accounting documents with his attorney.

Instead, Hecker allegedly asked to bring his Bible to the meeting, according to a letter prosecutor Nicole Engisch filed with Chief U.S. District Court Judge Michael Davis. She asked the judge not to permit "any further sessions in the U.S. Attorney's Office as a result of the abuses by Mr. Hecker."

Shortly after U.S. marshals denied the Bible request, Christi Rowan, her pastor and her civil attorney arrived at the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"It became clear to agents guarding Mr. Hecker that Ms. Rowan and the pastor were here for the purposes of participating in a wedding ceremony between Mr. Hecker and Ms. Rowan," Engisch wrote.

The pastor was ordered from the building. Rowan eventually left, too, but only after one of Hecker's criminal attorneys, Casey Rundquist, requested that Rowan be allowed to stay so she could help with the accounting documents.

Rowan told the Star Tribune that Hecker's longtime pastor had arrived at the federal building to counsel Hecker, not to perform a wedding. Rowan said she knew all along that she would not be allowed to see Hecker. "So the pastor's visit was never related to [my] being there." She said she and Hecker have been talking marriage for two years and she even has a marriage license, but that wasn't the point of Wednesday's visit.

"Of course I was surprised when a U.S. attorney told me that a pastor was there, but I certainly didn't connect the dots that it was for purposes of a marriage ceremony," Rundquist said. "And I don't believe it was. But when I read Nicole's [Engisch's] letter afterwards, I guess I understand why she would infer that," Rundquist said, adding that Hecker "has been reading the Bible a lot" and had simply taken it with him when he was about to be brought over from the jail.

Hecker's bankruptcy attorney, Barbara May, denied there were ever marriage plans. "Someone is just pulling this out of their head," May said. "I was there the whole time."

May accused officials within the U.S. Attorney's office of making several "rude" comments about how Hecker and Rowan would "obviously like to arrange for a conjugal visit" if left alone for any time. It is a charge justice officials strongly deny.

"We stand behind the letter and the facts as stated in the letter to Chief Judge Davis," said Jeanne Cooney, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office. "We completely deny [Barbara May's] comments. No U.S. Attorney's Office official or agent made any such comment."

Hecker faces up to 10 years in jail for bankruptcy fraud and conspiring to defraud Chrysler Financial out of $13.8 million. He is scheduled to be sentenced early next year. Davis has ruled that Hecker will remain jailed until his sentencing.

Engisch noted that Hecker is only allowed to "visit" Rowan by video conference when he is in the Sherburne County jail.

"It appears that Ms. Rowan's appearance may be designed to get around the video visit limitation that normally applies to their visits," Engisch said. "That Mr. Hecker would once again take a privilege and abuse it further demonstrates why the government will continue to oppose any motion for release."