Sheryl Lee Ralph alleges once being sexually assaulted by ‘famous TV judge’

Ralph claims that the incident happened at a business event years ago, witnessed by several network executives.

Sheryl Lee Ralph alleges that a “famous TV judge” sexually assaulted her once. The actress says it happened years ago at a business event.

Ralph claims the incident happened in full view of network executives, as she explained on “The Way Up With Angela Yee.

“I’m at a very public place. I was suited. I had my suit on. I was handling my business for the television show I was on at that time. He and I were on the same network,” Ralph said. “This man walked in, grabbed me by the back of my neck, turned me around and rammed his nasty [ass] tongue down my throat. And everybody at the network saw it.”

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Sheryl Lee Ralph attends the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 26, 2023, at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Ralph was initially going to report the alleged incident, calling the former mayor of New Orleans, Marc Morial, who Ralph said came to her defense right away. “You want me to send the police there right now? ‘Cause we will fix his, you know what,” Ralph recalled Morial telling her.

Despite Morial’s support, Ralph said the network executives who witnessed the alleged assault swayed her from filing a report. “Somebody on the network tapped me on the shoulder saying, ‘Please don’t,'” Ralph stated. “They did not want any bad press around their show and did not care what had just happened to me.”

She did not disclose the name of her alleged attacker but stated that it was not Judge Greg Mathis.

“I love him. He’s a great man,” Ralph said of Judge Mathis. “Not him at all. He’s a great man. This was another one.”

Ralph said she publicly disclosed the alleged incident as advice to women who dealt with the same thing. “Speak up, tell your truth, do not carry the burden of the pain,” Ralph said, “especially if you feel like it’s something you can’t work through.”

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