'RHOP' Reprieve! Sex Charges Are Dropped Against Michael Darby
Feb. 25 2019, Updated 11:38 a.m. ET
Charges against The Real Housewives of Potomac star Michael Darby have been dropped, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
On Thursday, October 4, prosecutors dropped charges of second-degree assault and improper sexual contact against Michael, the husband of Ashley Darby and a real estate developer and restaurateur.
Michael had been accused of groping the butt of a cameraman who was shooting an episode of the Bravo reality show.
Ramon Korionoff, the Public Affairs Director of the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office, told RadarOnline.com, "The case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. The complaining witness states there were no witness who actually saw the incident, however, that he did inform his supervisors immediately after.
"He provided several contact numbers for his supervisors, however, no one ever called us back. We called the complaining witness to update him, however he hasn’t returned our call.
"The peace order he filed again the defendant, was also dismissed on 9/28,” Korionoff added. Michael's lawyer Mike Rowan told The Washington Post, "The charges were dropped. They were baseless. There were a number of alleged witnesses who said it did not happen. The peace order request by the alleged victim was also denied. There was simply nothing that happened, and nothing here."
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, it was alleged that Michael had "grabbed and groped" ‘RHOP’ cameraman Orville Palmer by the butt and gave him a "flirtatious look." Palmer then told his supervisor of the incident and police were informed.
According to Rockville District Court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the case against Michael was filed on September 4, 2018.
But now, it's all been dropped and Michael, 59, and wife Ashley, 30, can breathe a sigh of relief.
The two have been featured on the Bravo series since it began in 2016. While Ashley announced that she had separated from Michael last summer, the two shortly reunited.
In August, Ashley announced that she'd miscarried Michael's baby.
“Michael and I are in a much better place," Ashley told Bravo host Andy Cohen after their ordeal of losing the child. "We are trying to have a family. I actually did conceive a week before my birthday and unfortunately, I had a miscarriage two weeks into the pregnancy."
"I had one when I was in my early 20s, so now I’m worried if something is going on with my body. But I feel like it kind of brought us closer together in a way that I didn’t really expect," Ashley said.
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