Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland has officially been cleared of the domestic violence charges levied against him earlier this year. Roiland had been facing one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, and/or deceit after an incident involving a Jane Doe he was dating back in 2020. Following the news, Roiland took to Twitter to claim justice and fire back for the "lies" reported about his behavior.
"We dismissed the charges today as a result of having insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt," said Kimberly Edds, spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s office. He was originally slated for a second pre-trial hearing on April 27. Although he's cleared legally, Roiland is still without a job after Warner Bros. Discovery severed all ties with the Rick and Morty creative. 20th Century, too, removed him from its hit Hulu series Solar Opposites and Koala Man despite his overall deal with the company and he stepped down as the head of his gaming company Squanch Games.
Roiland used his statement to take jabs at the media, his ex, and more, echoing the same sentiments of his lawyer when the case first came to light. "I have always known that these claims were false – and I never had any doubt that this day would come," he wrote in the post. "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, based solely on the word of an embittered ex trying to bypass due process and have me ‘canceled.'"
Roiland's Behavior Has Been Questionable Beyond the Legal Case
The chances of Roiland returning to any of his old endeavors are slim to nil in part because there are lingering questions about him beyond the domestic violence case. In a massive The Hollywood Reporter exposé, his colleagues alleged the creative had become known for his frat boy behavior while working on his shows, including openly discussing sexual topics, bringing a prominent porn star into the office, and reportedly sexually harassing an employee during Rick and Morty's third season. It was enough that Cartoon Network, the parent of Adult Swim, conducted its own internal investigation into his conduct in 2020. That's without mentioning the claims of his inappropriate behavior in private messages, including particularly gross messages to Mad magazine editor Allie Goertz and to minors.
Beyond those disturbing allegations, he's been described as aloof when it comes to his shows. He reportedly hasn't been on speaking terms with his Rick and Morty partner Dan Harmon for years and his involvement beyond voice acting has been minimal. Those within the writers' room on his shows have described him as grouchy, crass, and easily distractible with some even claiming they'd never interacted with him.
With all the smoke surrounding Roiland, it's hard to see where he goes next. Although there wasn't enough evidence to prove his domestic violence case, there's still a mountain of disturbing allegations that can't be easily hand-waved away. Rick and Morty, meanwhile, will still move forward with its full order for 70 episodes and Solar Opposites and Koala man will likely follow suit.
Read Roiland's full statement below.
"I have always known that these claims were false - and I never had any doubt that this day would come. 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, based solely on the word of an embittered ex trying to bypass due process and have me "canceled." That it may have succeeded, even partially, is shameful.
However, now that the legal case has ended, I'm determined to move forward and focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name."