Rick & Morty creator Justin Roiland has domestic violence charges dismissed by court
Twitter: Justin RoilandJustin Roiland, the creator of Rick and Morty and High on Life, has had his domestic violence charges dropped after the court ruling found that there was “insufficient evidence” against him.
As first reported by NBC, Justin Roiland, aged 42, was charged with domestic assault in Orange County, California. According to the felony complaint – which was obtained and reported on by Variety – the incident in question occurred “on or around Jan 19, 2020, against an unnamed Jane Doe who was dating Roiland at the time.”
After public backlash, losing his place in the Rick and Morty team, and also his game development studio Squanch Games, the initial charges have reportedly been dropped.
“This case was dismissed as a result of insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Orange County District Attorney’s office spokesperson Kimberly Edds.
Roiland has addressed the court case and ruling in a new Tweet that he simply captioned “justice.”
Justin Roiland speaks out following domestic violence charges and court ruling
The post includes a message explaining the findings from the investigations, with Roiland also expressing his “disappointment” at how, as he puts it, many people were “quick to judge.”
“I have always known that these claims were false – and I never had any doubt that this day would come. I’m thankful that this case has been dismissed but, at the same time, I’m still deeply shaken by the horrible lies that were reported about me during this process.
“Most of all, I’m disappointed that many people were so quick to judge without knowing the facts, based solely on the word of an embittered ex trying to bypass due process and have me ‘canceled.'”
Roiland then added, “that it may have succeeded, even partially, is shameful. However, now that the legal case has ended, I’m determined to move forward and focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name.”
The Rick and Morty creator pleaded not guilty in 2020 and appeared in court on Thursday, Jan 13, 2023 for a pretrial hearing. Furthermore, a protective order filed in October 2020 – as well as documentation of the court minutes – included that Roiland is not to “harass, threaten or surveil the person named in the protective order.” Adding that he cannot “go within 100 feet of the person.” This order lasts until October 2023.
Roiland – best known for his work as creator and main voice actor for the hit animated series Rick and Morty – has recently come out with a brand new game, High on Life. He is also the founder of animation studio Justin Roiland’s Solo Vanity Card Productions! and video game studio Squanch Games.
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