Charleston, SC – Charlamagne Tha God has lawyered up after a 2001 sexual assault case was brought back to light. On Wednesday (July 11), a petition was launched calling for his termination from The Breakfast Club, but the iHeartRadio host adamantly denies any misconduct.
TMZ spoke to Charlamagne’s attorney Marty Singer who explained, “More than seventeen years ago, Charlamagne was accused a sexual assault. He never had sexual relations or any physical contact with the accuser and even provided DNA to prove it. At the time these claims, Charlamagne cooperated fully with authorities, and after the investigation, this charge against him was dropped.
“Charlamagne has spoken about this many times over the years in public, including in his book. While Charlamagne has empathy for all sexual assault victims, he cannot take responsibility for a crime he did not commit.”
According to legal docs obtained by The Blast, a then 22-year-old Charlamagne was accused “willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously engage in penile/vaginal intercourse with a fifteen year old female child.”
Charlamagne pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency a minor for having alcohol at a party where the alleged incident took place. He was sentenced to three years probation, but the charge sexual assault was dropped.
Now that accuser Jessica Reid is 32, she wants the criminal case re-opened. She reportedly hasn’t “been able to get over it” and wants “closure.” Reid’s mother told The Blast she was trying to protect her teenage daughter from suffering and encouraged her not to cooperate with the prosecution.
A 2001 police report from the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office reportedly says Reid and a friend were brought to a short-stay Naval housing facility in Charleston, South Carolina and given a liquid that tasted like soda. The friend claims she doesn’t remember much after that but woke up to Reid naked and crying, saying she’d been raped.
After being taken to a local hospital, the staff determined a sexual assault had occurred. Reid implicated Charlamagne as the alleged attacker.
Charlamagne addressed the matter previously during a 2013 interview with DJ Akademiks. He pointed to the lack DNA evidence as pro he didn’t do it.
The Care2 petition has received roughly 7,500 signatures at the time publishing. It refers to Charlamagne as a “pedophile” and says he should be prosecuted.
“We want to send a powerful message to all the people who like to prey on innocent children that it’s not going to happen on our watch,” it reads. “No matter how much money or influence you have, we will not allow you to hurt our children.”
South Carolina has no statute limitations on prosecution for criminal sexual conduct with a minor.