CBS News Settles Harassment Suit From Three Colleagues of Charlie Rose

By Joe Flint

CBS News settled a lawsuit brought by three women who alleged they were harassed by former on-air personality Charlie Rose and that the network was aware of the situation but declined to act.

"The matter has been resolved," CBS News said in a statement. The amount of the settlement is confidential, and a lawyer for the plaintiffs didn't respond to a request for comment. The suit was filed in New York State Supreme Court.

Two of the plaintiffs -- Katherine Brooks Harris and Yuqing Wei -- were CBS employees who worked for Mr. Rose at the network. The third, Sydney McNeal, wasn't a CBS employee but worked as an assistant for Mr. Rose.

A CBS News spokeswoman declined to say whether the settlement included Ms. McNeal, or just the two women had worked at CBS.

The three women also sued Mr. Rose, and that portion of the suit will continue. Mr. Rose's attorney Bob Bodian previously said the claims were without merit. He didn't respond to a request for comment.

The settlement comes as CBS News parent CBS Corp. awaits the findings of an investigation into the culture at the company and allegations of sexual harassment against Leslie Moonves, its former chairman and chief executive, who was forced out in September.

The findings of the report, which is being conducted by the law firms Debevoise & Plimpton and Covington & Burling, will play a role in the CBS board's decision as to whether Mr. Moonves receives any of a severance package valued at $120 million.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 12, 2018 15:27 ET (20:27 GMT)

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