Capital New York

Fox 5 anchor Greg Kelly issued a statement through his publicist Tuesday night following news reports that the Manhattan D.A. will not charge him with rape.

"I am thankful that the investigation established what I've known all along, that I am innocent of the allegations that were waged against me," he said. "I am so blessed to have a wonderful family and friends whose support for me never wavered."

"[We] conducted a thorough investigation, consistent with what the Sex Crimes Unit does with regularity in similar matters," a letter to Kelly's lawyer from sex-crimes chief Martha Bashford reads, in part. (Read the full letter here.)

"Receipts, security logs, text messages and telephone records" along with some physical evidence and "expert witness" testimony were collated, resulting in the determination that the complaint did not "fit the definitions of sexual assault crimes under New York criminal law."

Kelly, who is the son of police commissioner Raymond Kelly, came under scrutiny after a woman walked into a precinct office on Jan. 24 and told officers there that she had been raped by Kelly after a night out together at South Street Seaport in October. Since then, tabloid reports of the investigation, which was handed over to the District Attorney's office to avoid any conflict of interest that might attend a police probe of the top cop's son, have carried anonymous reports from inside the investigation conveying the skepticism with which the D.A.'s office viewed the complaint.

Kelly said in the statement released this evening that he would soon return to "Good Day New York," the morning news program of which he is co-host with Rosanna Scotto. He has been off the air since Thursday, Jan. 26, two days after the accusations were made against him.

Representatives for Fox 5 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What should Kelly do next to further clear his name?

"I'd encourage him to do the catharsis interview," Howard Bragman, a veteran crisis P.R. expert, told Capital for a piece we ran on Monday. "Sit down, do one interview with a journalist you respect, tell your side of the story, get a little teary, talk about the shame of being falsely accused."

In the meantime, Kelly's full statement is below:

I am thankful that the investigation established what I've known all along, that I am innocent of the allegations that were waged against me.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful family and friends whose support for me never wavered.

My lawyer Andrew Lankler and advisor Ken Sunshine were invaluable during this process.

Thank you to the thousands of Good Day New York viewers who expressed positive support through social media.

And I am grateful to everyone at Fox 5, especially Rosanna Scotto, my co-host. I will always remember her kindness, and I look forward to soon resuming my post on Good Day New York next to her.

Joe Pompeo

• Twitter
• RSS
• Email

More by this author:

• Ahead of an avalanche, the 'Times' reminds us this new thing is theirs, and it's called a 'Snow Fall'
• What is this new Twitter 'Amplify,' you ask?

• 'Village Voice' fires Michael Musto in yet another round of cuts
• 'New York Post' buyouts focus on 'loyal soldiers ... highest paid'