Ex-‘GMA’ producer who claims sexual assault by boss vows to appeal legal setback

Kirstyn Crawford, a former “Good Morning America” producer whose sexual assault lawsuit from her then-manager at ABC Information obtained tossed by a New York state Supreme Courtroom judge, is not supplying up, her law firm reported Thursday.

“We do intend on desirable the choice,” lawyer Milt Williams, who submitted the lawsuit on Crawford’s behalf final 12 months towards Michael Corn, mentioned in an e mail.

The development arrived a working day immediately after Choose Barbara Jaffe dismissed the lawsuit, crafting that the 3-yr statute of restrictions on the assault accusation experienced passed and that Corn’s conduct, “while boorish, ill-encouraged and inappropriate,” did not “create a hostile get the job done natural environment.”

Also, Jaffe wrote, “much of the carry out, furthermore, was not directed at plaintiff.”

Crawford no lengthier works for ABC Information and was not accessible for comment, her attorney stated.

Corn, who now oversees news programming at NewsNation, also could not be achieved for remark. He has frequently denied any wrongdoing.

His law firm, Meredith Cavallaro, reported they’re self-confident the judge’s final decision will be upheld.

“Judge Jaffe’s choice is effectively-reasoned and grounded in prolonged-standing precedent,” Cavallaro claimed.

In her lawsuit, Crawford alleged that Corn assaulted her in 2015 during a business excursion to address the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. The lawsuit also alleged that Corn assaulted former ABC News producer Jill McClain in 2010 and 2011 on two independent organization visits.

Though the allegations manufactured by McClain are as well old to kind the basis of a independent declare, they ended up involved in help of Crawford’s scenario, in accordance to her lawsuit.

Corn has denied the allegations built by McClain, calling them “fabricated.”

“​​After I allegedly touched her on an airplane, Jill continuously booked our future air travel to sit following to me, she invited me to her wedding — like a pre-marriage ceremony party that was restricted to her quick household and closest pals — and she regularly communicated to me and my wife that she missed me soon after leaving her position at ABC. These are not the words and phrases and actions of a lady who had been assaulted,” Corn stated in a assertion after McClain made the allegations.

Crawford also claimed that ABC Information, which was named as a defendant in the lawsuit, experienced obtained complaints from females about Corn’s alleged abuses heading back again at the very least a 10 years but did nothing at all to halt him.

Corn, in the complaint, was explained as an “untouchable” whose terrible behavior was tolerated by ABC Information brass due to the fact he turned “GMA” into a ratings giant.

Crawford claimed that while “GMA” host George Stephanopoulos urged her to report the alleged assault, the then-senior director of publicity for “GMA,” Heather Riley, “cautioned Crawford that reporting the assault and harassment could possibly get ‘messy,’” in accordance to the lawsuit.

Riley in March was named ABC News’ govt editorial producer of political programming and affairs. She did not answer to the allegations when they have been at first built, and she and ABC News did not react Thursday to a request for remark.

ABC News denied Crawford’s allegations from it and claimed in a statement that the organization was “committed to upholding a secure and supportive perform environment and have a method in area that comprehensively critiques and addresses complaints that are manufactured.”