Ashley Darby posted a message in support of her husband, Michael Darby, after news broke that he was arrested for sexual assault.
The Real Housewives of Potomac star, 30, posted a photo with Michael on her Instagram Story on Saturday, September 29, captioning it, “No charges filed. No arrest made. No Bravo suspension. No worries. We’ll keep you posted.”
The post came two days after TMZ reported that Michael, who is 29 years older than his wife, was charged with felony assault and misdemeanor improper sexual contact for allegedly groping and grabbing the butt of a cameraman on the show.
The victim claims that the September 1 incident happened while they were filming for the show at a house in Maryland, after which Michael gave him a “flirtatious look.”
He said he put down his camera and told Michael to stop before telling his supervisor what had happened. He filed charges three days later.
NBC Miami reports that the cameraman filed for a restraining order against Michael and claimed in court documents that another incident happened in August, when the restaurateur kicked him in the butt while he was filming. His request for a restraining order was denied.
If convicted, Michael could face up to 11 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
The show’s production company and Bravo suspended Michael after the sexual assault charges were filed, saying in a statement to TMZ, that the network has “comprehensive policies and guidelines relating to the safety of cast and crew. We take all allegations seriously and then proceed accordingly with our producing partners.”
Production company Truly Original said it launched an internal investigation after the cameraman’s allegations. The review is ongoing.
