Charlie Rose settles sexual harassment lawsuit filed by 3 former CBS employees: report

Charlie Rose has settled a five-year lawsuit filed by three former CBS employees who accused the legendary TV host of sexual harassment.

The lawsuit, which alleged Rose engaged in unwanted kissing and touching and also made inappropriate comments, was originally filed in New York Supreme Court in 2018 by former CBS employees Katherine Brooks Harris, Sydney McNeal and Yuqing “Chelsea” Wei.

All three women released a statement to the court, which was signed on Sunday, saying: “This case is about interactions in the workplace.”

“Through years of litigation, the parties have managed to better understand each other’s views,” the statement said.

“On reflection and having benefited from discovery, we realize that different people could interpret the conduct in different ways, and therefore we have resolved the claims.”

The three women said in the statement that they “do not attribute any bad motive or ill intent to Charlie Rose.”

The parties settled the case Sunday “with prejudice and without cost to either party,” according to court documents.

Specific terms of the deal were not made public. Jury selection for a trial was set to begin Monday.

Court documents show Wei told CBS News HR officials that “I don’t experience anything sexually inappropriate” from Rose.

Meanwhile, Harris wrote an email to Rose after he was fired, asking her for career advice, saying “your interactions with me were always professional and respectful, and that’s the only experience I’ve had with you.”

The three women, who worked on “CBS This Morning” while Rose was a co-host, had alleged in their complaint that Rose made sexually inappropriate comments to them and often fondled and touched their arms, shoulders, waist and back.

Also, Rose allegedly pulled them close to his body and kissed them on the cheek. The lawsuit included allegations that Rose detailed his sexual assaults on McNeal and Harris and instructed them to share details about their sex lives with him.

The former host also allegedly suggested that McNeal and Harris become lovers, according to court documents.

An attorney for Rose declined to comment.

The Post has sought comment from Harris, McNeal and Wei.

In late 2017, Rose was fired by CBS and PBS dropped his long-running interview show after the Washington Post published a story in which eight women alleged he sexually harassed them in incidents spanning more than two decades.

In May 2018, the Washington Post published a follow-up article that included allegations of sexual harassment against Rose by 27 other women.

The second Washington Post article prompted Wei, Harris and McNeal to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against Rose and CBS News.

The two former employees accused Rose of “overt and repeated sexual harassment” that was committed against “three young female employees in their 20s.”

Court documents obtained by The Post included statements Wei gave to a human resources officer at CBS News in November 2017, in which the former employee said “I don’t experience anything sexually inappropriate” from Rose.

Wei claimed in the meeting with HR that she “experienced verbal abuse” from Rose, who allegedly berated her, saying, “Why can’t you do this right.”

The court documents also included a copy of an email Harris wrote to Rose on Jan. 3, 2018 — weeks after he was terminated by CBS News.

The email, whose subject line reads “check in,” began with Harris writing: “Hi Charlie, …”

“I’m sure the past few weeks have been very painful,” Harris wrote. “You seem to admit that you’ve made some unfortunate misjudgments in the past.”

“However, your interactions with me have always been professional and respectful, and this is the only experience I have had with you.”

“I don’t know if you’ve had time to sort out your way forward,” Harris continued. “Assuming there may be no further opportunities with you, I’m thinking about my next move and a fresh start and was wondering what you think I should do.”

Harris wrote that she “would love to stay in the news and you know the industry better than anyone.”

“You also know me and my strengths,” she continued, adding, “I value your experience and opinion, and I’d like to know what you think might be a good move for me.”

“I look forward to hearing from you. Happy New Year,” Brooks wrote. She signed the letter, “Better, Brooks.”

The documents also included a note from McNeal’s psychiatrist, in which she stated she had “zero experience” of being sexually harassed by Rose.

CBS News caught up with the three women in December 2018.