Justin Roiland Domestic Violence Charges Dismissed By Orange County District Attorney

Justin Roiland, the Rick and Morty co-creator whose animation empire came crashing down in the wake of domestic violence charges being leveled against him in Orange County, has been cleared of those charges.

“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.

Calling the development “justice,” Roiland said in his statement, “I have always known that these claims were false — and I never had any doubt that this day would come.” The creator added, “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 so many people were so quick to judge without knowing the facts.” He claimed the source of the allegations was an “embittered ex” who tried to “bypass due process and have me ‘canceled.’ ”

In the weeks after the 2020 charges were first revealed in an NBC News article in January, Adult Swim (which distributes Roiland’s hit Rick and Morty) and Hulu (distributor of Solar Opposites, which Roiland co-created, and Koala Man, which Roiland executive produced) cut ties with Roiland. Roiland additionally resigned from Squanch Games, the developer he co-founded in 2016. Roiland had pled not guilty to the charges.

Also in the wake of the news about the charges, multiple women came forward on social media with lewd messages they claimed to have been sent by Roiland. And in an investigation in The Hollywood Reporter, colleagues described workplace behavior that they said had troubled them, including bringing a porn star through the Rick and Morty writers room and one alleged instance of sexual harassment during Rick and Morty‘s third season.

THR has reached out to Adult Swim for comment. Hulu and Squanch Games declined comment.