South Carolina man sues Fox News personality over alleged sexual assault in the ’80s
A Myrtle Beach businessman says he was sexually assaulted in the 1980s by a now Fox News analyst and filed suit against the former judge.
Charles Corbishley filed suit Friday against Andrew Napolitano in U.S. District Court in New York. Napolitano is a former judge and current on-air analyst for the news network.
Napolitano, his lawyer, and Fox News all released statements denying the allegations.
“These accusations are completely false. Full stop. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes, at any time, to anyone, for any reason. I have never had any personal relationship or inappropriate contact or communication of any kind with the man making this accusation. Each and every one of his claims against me are pure fiction. Period,” Napolitano said in a statement provided to the Sun News.
Corsbishley said he was a New Jersey resident at the time of the alleged assault, and Napolitano was a judge appointed to oversee his criminal case, according to the lawsuit.
In December 1988, Corbishley met Napolitano at a residence in New Jersey, the filing states. There, the judge told Corsbishley to shovel the snow in his driveway despite the fact there was little snow in the driveway or around the house.
Napolitano then came outside in a trench coat and asked Corbishley to come to the side of the house. Napolitano made small talk and then put his hands on Corbishley’s shoulders and pushed him to his knees, the filing states. The judge then forced the then 20-year-old victim to perform oral sex, according to the lawsuit.
Corbishley says he was terrified about what the judge would do if he resisted or fought back.
After the alleged assault, Corbishley ran from the home, the suit states.
The judge then gave Corbishley a light punishment in his criminal case, sentencing him to five years probation and 150 hours of community service, according to the suit. A co-defendant received a sentence of seven years in prison. When Corbishley violated his probation, Napolitano was again light with punishment and removed the community service requirement, the suit states.
Despite the violations and subsequent arrests, Napolitano vacated the remainder of Corbishley’s probation in 1992.
“Napolitano’s leniency was a deliberate and calculated attempt to created ‘good will’ with [Corbishley], and thereby ensure that [Corbishley] would remain silent about defendant Napolitano sexual assault of him,” the suit reads.
The victim recently contacted police about the alleged assault and the lawsuit claims that Napolitano said Corbishley made threats of violence. Police then reached out to Corbishley’s family to investigate the alleged threats. Corbishley said that made it seem like he had done something wrong and was again in trouble with the law.
Corbishley said he suffers from post-traumatic stress (PTS) as a result of the incidents and has thought about suicide, according to the suit. He asks for $10 million in the lawsuit.
A Fox News spokesperson provided a statement about the lawsuit after being contacted by The Sun News.
“Judge Napolitano has assured us in the strongest possible terms that these allegations are false and he will fight them aggressively in court.”
Napolitano’s lawyer also blasted the accuser as a lifelong criminal. Attorney Tom Clare said the lawsuit should concern all judges that a former defendant can threaten damage to reputations and careers with false statements.
“We will defeat these false allegations in court and look forward to exposing this brazen attempt to smear a dedicated former public servant with an abusive court proceeding,” Clare said.
Before the suit was filed, Napolitano reported Corbishley’s threatening actions to federal investigators, Clare said. He added they welcome a full investigation.
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 5:01 PM.
