UPDATE | 'Southern Charm' star's sex assault case heads to trial

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The sex assault case against "Southern Charm" star and former South Carolina treasurer Thomas Ravenel is going to trial.

The Post and Courier reports a judge ruled Monday that the case will proceed. The 56-year-old reality television star was arrested in September on assault and battery charges, accused of sexually assaulting a former nanny in May.

Charleston Police Detective Christopher Malinowski told the court the woman said a seemingly intoxicated Ravenel tried to forcibly remove her clothes and fondled her. She told authorities he then shoved his penis in her face before she was able to flee.

Malinowski said the woman photographed her injuries, but the photo quality wasn't good enough for officers to see visible injuries.

A trial date hasn't been set.

Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — An original cast member on the Bravo reality TV show "Southern Charm" has announced he's quitting amid rape allegations.

News outlets report Thomas Ravenel tweeted Tuesday that he's not doing the show anymore, saying the show took advantage of him. The move by the 56-year-old former South Carolina State Treasurer comes amid an investigation into multiple rape allegations against him.

He has denied the allegations and is being investigated by Charleston police and the show's production company, Haymaker. Ravenel said in the tweet that he "decided I've got too much to lose and informed them I'm not coming back."

Ravenel has been one of the show's main cast since it started in 2014. He resigned as treasurer in 2007 after being indicted on federal drug charges.