CBS TV anchor Rob Morrison resigns following choking charges

NEW YORK – CBS TV anchor Rob Morrison resigned from the network Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he faced court charged over a domestic dispute with his wife.

In a statement Morrison said his wife, Ashley, and young son, Jack, were his priority, AP reported.

“My family is my first and only priority right now and I have informed CBS 2 management that I need to put all of my time and energy into making sure that I do what's best for my wife and my son,” Morrison said.

“I very much appreciate the opportunity that CBS 2 has given me and I thank them for accepting my decision.”

CBS confirmed his resignation and said it would release a statement later today.

According to sources, officials at the network were not impressed that the “News at Noon” anchor allegedly lied to them about the bruises on his face when he came to work Monday, the New York Daily News reported.

He “misled station management and has made a horrible situation even worse,” a source said.

Morrison faced court yesterday, charged with strangulation, threatening and disorderly conduct. 

The court was told Morrison threatened "he would kill his wife" when police arrested him for domestic violence in their Connecticut home, the New York Times reported.

According to police, the incident happened on Sunday morning at the couple's home in Darien and Morrison allegedly choked his wife, Ashley Morrison.

Court papers said that while being charged by officer Patrick Clohessy, he "threatened that if he was released from police custody he would kill his wife", the New York Post reported.

Ashley, 40, a fellow TV news anchor, had red marks on her neck but did not need medical treatment while her husband was bleeding from his face. 

The judge Tuesday said the charges "not only reflects a serious incident, if reflects the likelihood of a serious history."

He maintained the court restraining order that Morrision was to stay away from his wife, and the $100,000 bond. There is no protective order on the couple's son, Jack.

Meanwhile, New York City police said they were called to the couple’s former Manhattan home 11 times between 2004 and 2009 because of domestic disputes. They said one call resulted in an arrest, but that case was sealed, according to the AP.Morrison also read a statement outside court to reporters denying the allegations and saying he was surprised at the charges, ABC News reported.

He told reporters: "I have never laid my hands on my wife".