Former CBS News TV host Charlie Rose has reached a settlement over a sexual harassment lawsuit originally brought against him by three former employees. Following the highly publicized accusations and his subsequent firing in 2017 during the rise of the #MeToo movement, Rose settled with plaintiffs Katherine Brooks Harris, Sydney McNeal, and Yuqing Wei, who had alleged “predatory behavior” and “blatant and repeated sexual harassment” during their time working for Rose. According to details released this week and reported by NY1, the terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
In what appears to be a move to avoid the public spectacle of a trial, the plaintiffs acknowledged a shift in their perspective. "On reflection, and after having the benefit of discovery, we realize that different people could interpret the conduct in different ways, and therefore we have resolved the claims," they said in a statement obtained by CBS News. They also stated, "We do not assign any bad motive or ill intent to Charlie Rose." The case had been set to go to trial in Manhattan, but years of legal disputes and the sharing of pretrial evidence seemingly have to lead to a new understanding between both sides.
Charlie Rose, who had previously admitted to behaving "insensitively at times" while also maintaining that not all allegations were accurate, did not comment on the settlement through his lawyer. After his dismissal from CBS News, Rose began hosting an interview show on YouTube, demonstrating his continued presence in media despite the controversy.
Rose had fallen from grace alongside other notable figures during the #MeToo era, which saw the calling out and removal of individuals like "Today" show host Matt Lauer and Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. At the onset of their lawsuit, Harris, McNeal, and Wei accused Rose of sexual harassment, including inappropriate comments about their personal lives and Rose's own exploits. Rose's defense was reportedly prepared to challenge the credibility of these claims. They were planning to present evidence that Wei did not consider her experiences while working for Rose to be "sexually inappropriate," and that McNeal had discussed with her therapist not having personal experiences of harassment by him, according to documents revealed by Rose's lawyers as detailed by NY1.
The network at the heart of these allegations, CBS, had previously settled with the women in December 2018 for an undisclosed amount and noted that the terms were to remain confidential per the plaintiffs' request. This current settlement brings to an end the lawsuit against Rose, though many aspects of the resolution, including the conditions and financial details, remain under wraps.
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