Real World Star Tonya Cooley Settles Sexual Battery Lawsuit

Original Chicago castmember claims she was kicked off a Real World/Road Rules Challenge season after reporting assault to producers

By Natalie Finn Oct 25, 2012 1:30 AMTags
Tonya Cooley, Real World, Road Rules ChallengeMTV

Looks like everybody got real when it came time to settle Real World alum Tonya Cooley's sexual harassment claims against the show's producers.

But maybe the warring parties also remained a little bit nice.

Viacom-owned MTV Networks and Bunim/Murray Productions have settled the suit filed by Cooley last year, in which she claimed she was kicked off of The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins after complaining to producers that she was sexually assaulted during filming by roomies Evan Starkman and Kenny Santucci while she was passed out.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, according to The Hollywood Reporter, but the two parties have informed the judge that they've reached an agreement and asked for time to file the paperwork.

Viacom and Bunim/Murray previously told E! News that they had investigated Cooley's claims and found them to be "completely baseless."

Originally from The Real World: Chicago, Cooley, 32, had alleged that MTV had encouraged the behavior that led to her being assaulted, providing castmates with unlimited alcohol, making men and women share bathrooms and otherwise contributing to the rowdy atmosphere.

She sued on claims of sexual harassment, assault, sexual battery, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and wrongful termination.

MTV countered that Cooley had signed consent forms that indicated she understood the risk factor involved in participating on the show, and was sent home because she "violently struck another contestant."

The Ruins in 2009 was her ninth and last time participating in a season of the Real World franchise.