Actor David Del Rio has filed an arbitration claim against CBS Studios following his termination from the TV show Matlock last fall. The claim addresses allegations of sexual assault that led to his character being written off the series. Del Rio's attorney states that evidence will contradict prior characterizations of the incident.
David Del Rio, who portrayed Billy Martinez on the CBS series Matlock starring Kathy Bates, was escorted off the set last fall after an allegation of sexual assault surfaced. He had already filmed seven episodes of the show's second season when the issue arose in October. The production subsequently wrote his character out of the storyline.
Del Rio's attorney, Shawn Holley, announced on Wednesday that her client has initiated an arbitration claim to tackle what she described as "false and misleading allegations that caused substantial professional and reputational harm." Holley added that during the arbitration, Del Rio plans to submit real-time text communications and other evidence that "directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue." She noted that this evidence was not fully reviewed before the employment decision was made. "Mr. Del Rio looks forward to resolving this matter through the appropriate legal forum and has faith that a full evidentiary review will establish the truth and restore his professional reputation," Holley stated.
Del Rio's contract mandates private arbitration rather than a public lawsuit. The show's mid-season premiere last week included a reference to his departure, with an HR representative inquiring about Billy's whereabouts. Sarah, played by Leah Lewis, responded, "Out sick. Very, very sick. Vomiting," while Bates's character added, "And we've got him covered."
Lewis addressed the situation indirectly on Instagram last fall, posting: "Mom is here, we're moving forward in love and strength. I'm in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we're moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Please, let that be the takeaway."
Del Rio's wife, Katherine, briefly posted a response that was later deleted: "Mom is here. We're moving forward in love and strength after what Leah did to our family. Thank you all for the love and support!"
