Report: Wake DA didn't launch investigation into alleged sexual assault involving two of her prosecutors

Wake County's District Attorney Lorrin Freeman is responding to a report that raises questions over her handling of a sexual assault accusation involving her own prosecutors.

The allegation involves a female assistant district attorney who said a male colleague groped her at an out-of-state conference in 2015. Months later, the woman reported what happened to Freeman, who was her boss.

The online news magazine, The Assembly, looked into this and published a story on Thursday afternoon.

Freeman said she listened to the woman's description of the encounter, but said she didn't feel her employee wanted anything else to be done, so no internal investigation took place, and Freeman didn't question or address the issue with the male assistant district attorney who the female employee identified.

"It was important to me that she felt supported and what she wanted to have happened — happened," said Freeman.

"Clearly, as an employer, and frankly as a woman, I was concerned about her report, but I understand very much the personal nature, the sensitive nature of those types of situations and I did my best to follow her lead and what it was that she wanted," she said.

A criminal investigation was beyond Freeman's scope because it happened out of state.

"I think certainly, the whole evolution of the 'Me Too' movement and people's awareness has grown, even in the past few years, as to what might be appropriate in the workplace as to this specific incident," said Freeman.

The Assembly quoted various employment attorneys who said Freeman had an obligation to take some sort of action within her office.

"Absolutely I believe it's being used for political reasons but the most important thing is this is a woman's story and she has a right to decide how and when it is told," said Freeman.

Since the reported assault happened, the Administrative Office of the Courts now requires training on unlawful workplace harassment for all judicial branch employees.

Freeman declined to provide more of her reasoning. She did provide WRAL News with a recent email from the female ADA who left the DA's office in 2017.

In it the woman said she simply didn't want the man who groped her to rise to the level of a judge. She didn't address the fact that Freeman took no action other than to listen.

The woman said it wasn't her place to question personnel decisions -- that Wake County voters will do that. The email also states the woman continues to support Freeman politically.

Neither of the prosecutors involved work for Freeman anymore.