DA Drops Rape Charges Against ‘Hurricane’ Mike Herren

The Bristol County District Attorney's office has dismissed rape and indecent assault charges against local media personality and former B.M.C. Durfee basketball star Michael Herren.

In a court filing, the DA's office said it could not meet its burden of proof because the alleged victim did not cooperate with investigators. Lawyer and former Bristol district attorney Sam Sutter, who represents Herren, on Friday criticized local police and said his client has been exonerated.

"I said right from the first day that Michael Herren was innocent of these charges and the decision today by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, in my opinion, proves that," said Sutter in a statement. "In my view, Mr. Herren should never have been charged with these crimes and there was a rush to charge him by the Fall River Police Department."

Sutter said the ordeal has been emotionally draining for Herren, who has been out on $10,000 cash bail since he pleaded not guilty on May 29. Herren was charged with two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault on a person over 14 years old after an alleged victim showed up at the police station saying she had been raped by Herren after a night of drinking and doing cocaine at Herren's broadcast studio at the former Billy's Cafe in Fall River.

However, the woman failed to appear for a probable cause hearing on Friday despite a summons to court. And according to a court affidavit filed by ADA Maryclare Flynn and viewed by the Herald News, the victim previously refused a sexual assault examination at St. Anne's hospital, failed to follow up for medical treatment or testing, and failed to cooperate with investigators.

Known as “Hurricane” during his high school days in the late 1980s, Herren graduated as the Hilltoppers’ highest scorer and was the 1988-89 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year. His scoring record was later broken by his younger brother Chris Herren.

Mike Herren parlayed the “Hurricane” nickname into a media persona that included a stint at WSAR-AM and later his own online streaming venture. Herren had recently started a new podcasting business in Fall River.