‘RHOP’ Star Ashley Darby Had a ‘Breakdown’ After Husband Accused of Sexual Assault

Ashley Darby may have kept it together on the surface after husband Michael was accused of sexual assault by a Bravo cameraman, but behind the scenes, the Real Housewives of Potomac star was really struggling with the legal drama. On Sunday’s all-new episode of the Bravo reality show, Darby addressed the accusations against her husband that he had groped the butt of a cameraman during filming. (The felony assault and misdemeanor improper sexual conduct charges against Michael were dismissed in court in October due to insufficient evidence.)

In Sunday’s episode, Ashley appeared to not be taking the legal drama to heart in a conversation with co-star Gizelle Bryant, telling her, “We had a preliminary case, and the judge threw it out. That isn’t new. I’m not worried about it.”

“We’re actually stronger than ever,” she insisted of herself and her husband, later telling the women, “As people who are close to me, I would love to tell you what is going on, but unfortunately, I cannot share it with you. I just encourage you to wait for the truth and wait for this to play out, because it shall.”

But to the cameras, Ashley was a little more real about her emotional state.

“To be completely candid, when I first got the notice, I had a little breakdown,” she admitted. “I get very apprehensive talking about this, because it’s not my case. I don’t know all of the details of what happened, but it’s troubling.”

Her other co-stars were more than willing to weigh in on the situation as well.

“I remember that cameraman and I was wondering about that man,” Monique Samuels said of the incident. “How humiliating is that, to have another grown man, old enough to probably be his grandfather, grope your butt, and you have to probably go tell your supervisor?”

“Consent is everything,” added Karen Huger.

“I’m just at a loss for words,” Samuels continued. “This point, the only thing I can do is what I would want for me, which is for my close friends and my circle to encourage me. So I’m going to just encourage her. I really, truly feel bad for her. Whatever move she needs to make, I’m here.”

“I don’t wish any ill,” agreed Huger.

Robyn Dixon added she prayed everything “works out in their favor,” but hoped it was a “lesson learned” for the two.

“I do feel bad for her,” sympathized Candiace Dillard. “Like, damn, this cannot be easy for her.”

The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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