After almost three years CNN anchor Don Lemon was accused of sexually assaulting a man at a bar in Sag Harbor, NY, the case has been dismissed. On Monday, Dustin Hice dropped his lawsuit against Lemon, saying that he had a faulty memory of their interactions.
In 2019, Hice claimed that Lemon both assaulted him as well as made lewd remarks. After the alleged encounter, a CNN spokesperson told The Hill that this was a mere attempt to slander Lemon. “The plaintiff in this lawsuit has previously displayed a pattern of contempt for CNN on his social media accounts,” they explained.
“This claim follows his unsuccessful threats and demands for an exorbitant amount of money from Don Lemon. Don categorically denies these claims and this matter does not merit any further comment at this time.” Now in a statement released Monday by Hice, he is recanting on those claims.
“After a lot of inner reflection and a deep dive into my memory, I have come to realize that my recollection of the events that occurred on the night in question when I first met CNN anchor Don Lemon were not what I thought they were when I filed this lawsuit. As a result, I am dropping the case.”
Lemon’s attorney, Caroline Polisi, released a statement following Hice’s announcement. “This has been a long and difficult journey for Don. Out of respect for the judicial process and my advice, he has had to remain silent in the face of a malicious and vulgar attack on his character.” She added:
“Unfortunately, being a gay Black man in the media, he has had to deal with these sorts of attacks for quite some time. The Court’s ruling fully vindicates Mr. Lemon and brings an end to this abusive lawsuit.”