Woman charged with falsely accusing ‘Southern Charm’ star of sexual assault

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (WCSC) - Investigators have charged a woman with falsely accusing a “Southern Charm” star of sexual assault.

Officers with the Mount Pleasant Police Department charged Susan Johnson with filing a false police report in which she accused J.D. Madison of sexually assaulting her. Madison was never charged in the incident.

Inspector Chip Googe with Mount Pleasant police said detectives uncovered inconsistencies in Johnson’s story during their investigation and obtained evidence indicating the allegations were untrue.

Johnson claimed she was assaulted on Aug. 21, 2017. She reported it on Aug. 28, 2018

Johnson initially told investigators that she was sexually assaulted the night of the solar eclipse.

She claimed that Madison intentionally broke a glass, and when she went to clean it up, Madison and his friend slipped a drug in her drink.

According to a police report, Johnson said she did not remember anything from that point until she was at a restaurant and not “feeling right” and felt that she had been drugged. Johnson said she then remembered waking up in a guest bedroom where Madison “forcibly” raped her.

Johnson was being held at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center after a judge set bond at $10,000, jail records state.

She has since been released.

A representative of Madison’s released a statement that said in part:

JD Madison was never charged or arrested as the Mount Pleasant Police Department did not find any credible evidence to support her claims. We are grateful that the Mount Pleasant Police Department fully investigated this case and determined that these accusations were completely false.

Attorney Trey Harrell, who represents Johnson, released the following statement:

Susan is going to fight this unfair, unfounded charge. She was severely intoxicated on the night in question and so naturally there are some inconsistencies in her recollection. Such inconsistencies do not make her a liar, and they certainly do not make her a criminal.

Susan does not remember sending any of the messages - or making any of the phone calls - that police are using as ‘evidence’ to dispute her recollection of what happened. And the fact police are charging her based on their ‘belief’ that she lied about what happened is absolutely unconscionable.

Not only is such a charge unfair to my client, it could have a chilling effect on other women who believe they have been similarly victimized.

My client is innocent of this charge and intends to defend herself vigorously in court.

Copyright 2019 WCSC. All rights reserved.