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Anchorman Greg Kelly Cleared of Rape Charges

The rape charges brought up against Greg Kelly, Fox anchorman and son of New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, have officially been dropped. The charges were raised in late January, but have been subsequently dropped when investigators determined that Kelly did nothing illegal.

“After reviewing all of the evidence, we have determined that the facts established during our investigation do not fit the definition of sexual assault crimes under New York criminal law,” said Assistant District Attorney Martha Bashford. “Therefore, no criminal charges are appropriate.”

The details of the charges began when the anonymous accuser, of about 30 years old, claimed that she met Kelly and shared a few drinks on October 8, 2011, near the South Street Seaport. After she become a bit “woozy” from the alcohol, the two went to her law office where she works as a paralegal and had sex in the boss’s office. She claims she was not a willing participant. She also claims she became pregnant from the experience and subsequently terminated it.

Kelly’s position is delicate. Because he is the son of Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, the police department recused from investigating the rape allegations, to avoid a conflict of interest.

The case nevertheless was thoroughly investigated, including careful inspection of receipts, security logs, text messages, and phone records. The district attorney’s office handled the case and said that the accuser and Greg were both cooperative. DA Spokesman Joan Vollero said that they conducted a “thorough investigation consistent with standard procedure.” The investigation included “interviewing numerous relevant fact and expert witnesses, and reviewing multiple items of physical evidence.” Though officials have not commented on the validity of the alleged abortion, the rest of her story was determined to have not involved rape.

Kelly has requested some time off work at Fox 5 to get through the difficulties. He said “I am thankful that the investigation established what I’ve known all along, that I am innocent of the allegations that were waged against me. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family and friends whose support for me never wavered.

“My lawyer, Andrew Lankler, and adviser, Ken Sunshine, were invaluable during this process. Thank you to the thousands of ‘Good Day New York’ viewers who expressed positive support through social media. And I am grateful to everyone at Fox 5, especially Rosanna Scotto, my co-host. I will always remember her kindness, and I look forward to soon resuming my post on ‘Good Day New York’ next to her.”

Daniel June: Daniel June studied English literature at Michigan State University, graduating in 2003. Working a potpourri of jobs since, from cake-decorator to proofreader, his passion has always been writing, resulting in books of essays, novels, and children’s novellas.