NBC News has just released a report stating that Justin Roiland, co-creator of popular science fiction adult animated series Rick and Morty (as well as the voice actor of the titular Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith), has been officially charged by California courts with numerous serious crimes. The primary charge, in this case, is felony domestic violence against an anonymous Jane Doe, with who Roiland had been in a relationship with at the time. The total list of charges includes “one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury” and “one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, and/or deceit”. The charges were all filed in a criminal complaint filing back in May 2020. It’s only on January 12, 2023, that Roiland appeared for a pre-trial hearing.

"Rick and Morty" key art from IMDb.

Currently, the courts have not set a trial date. However, NBC News reveals that the police arrested Justin Roiland back in August 2020, and then released him only after a $50,000 bond. Roiland had an arraignment for his crimes a few months later in October 2020. At the same time, someone filed a protective order against Roiland. The order states that Roiland is not to “harass, threaten or surveil the person named in the protective order”, is not to “go within 100 feet of the person”, and is also ordered to turn over any and all firearms Roiland owned or possessed. The order will last until October 2023.

The police have withheld every other detail of the case from the public. All according to another protective order. All we can do now is watch and wait for more details as this case develops. In addition to seeing how Justin Roiland’s legal woes will affect Rick and Morty. Which, to be fair, is likely going to see some disruptions.

Source: NBC News