Justin Roiland has been charged with felony domestic violence related to a 2020 occurrence involving domestic battery and false imprisonment. According to the criminal complaint filed by the Orange County District Attorney, the incident involved a woman he was dating. A pre-trial hearing was held in court for Roiland on Thursday.
Roiland created the popular adult comedy Rick and Morty, which has grown into a billion-dollar media franchise since its inception in 2013. The show is part of a long-term deal with Cartoon Network, and its last season aired in September 2022. The series won an Emmy in 2020 and a Hollywood Critics Choice Association TV award in 2022. Rick and Morty is part of Warner Bros. Discovery which owns Cartoon Network. The network declined to comment on the incident until this moment.
Among other noteworthy career highlights is Roiland's release of an NFT art collection, which sold for over $1.65 million, the co-creation of Hulu’s Solar Opposites, and most recently, the Koala Man series. In 2022, he also released the video game High on Life, developed by his studio Squanch Games.
Justin Roiland Has Been Dealing With the Charges for Years
Despite being found not guilty, Roiland and his attorneys declined to speak on the 2020 incident. According to NBC News, the 42-year-old creator was charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit. Currently, details of the case are being withheld from the public, including police records, abuse investigations documentation, and medical reports. Also sealed are police footage and interview recordings.
NBC News reported that Roiland was arrested in August 2020 and released on a $50,000 bond. However, he was formally charged in October 2020. As of that date, Roiland has not pleaded guilty to either charge, and a trial date has yet to be determined.
According to a protective order that lasts until October 2023, Roiland is not to harass, threaten or spy on the person named in the protective order. Furthermore, he is not allowed to approach the person within 100 feet and had to turn in any firearms he owned.
A plea offer is available to Roiland, but details of the offer were not discussed by Roiland's attorney on Thursday. Roiland was ordered to attend a new hearing on April 27.