Matt Gutman removed as defendant in former ABC producer's lawsuit
CBS News correspondent Matt Gutman will no longer be a defendant in a wrongful-termination suit filed by former ABC producer Samira Said, while ABC and Disney remain parties to the case.
A Los Angeles Superior Court filing on Sept. 4 seeks to dismiss CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman from a wrongful-termination lawsuit brought by former ABC News field producer Samira Said. The suit, filed in August, alleges that Gutman made a "sexualized insinuation" toward Said and participated in a discussion that objectified a female correspondent. Said also claims the network required her to work while on protected medical leave after experiencing severe psychological symptoms following a 2022 school-shooting assignment.
ABC and its parent company The Walt Disney Co. remain defendants. Said contends she was denied reasonable accommodations, demoted to weekend desk shifts, and ultimately terminated in March 2025 after reporting a workplace injury.
"The circumstances surrounding her termination constitute clear violations of the law," said Said's attorney Aaron Gbewonyo.
Gutman's legal team has not provided a public explanation for the request to remove him from the case. ABC and CBS have not responded to requests for comment.