Overview
- Merrill voluntarily dismissed her claims against WBZ anchor Courtney Cole, with a court filing indicating the dismissal is with prejudice.
- Claims remain pending against WBZ-TV, CBS, Paramount Global, former WBZ general manager Justin Draper, meteorologist Jason Mikell, and employee relations vice president Michael Roderick.
- Defendants have not filed responsive pleadings, according to the docket, and no trial date has been scheduled.
- Merrill’s $4 million complaint alleges she was falsely accused of racial bias and that her complaint about Mikell’s conduct was not addressed as the company pursued a DEI-focused approach.
- The suit recounts a February 2024 on-air innuendo and an April confrontation involving Mikell, followed by an internal probe, a public demotion in May, and Merrill’s resignation; a former colleague, Katrina Kincade, has publicly disputed parts of Merrill’s narrative.