Atlanta businessman sued in connection to Mass. rape charges

An Atlanta businessman indicted last month on rape charges in Massachusetts now faces a civil suit filed by the same woman.

J. Michael Robison, a founder and former chairman of Lanier Parking Solutions, one of Atlanta's largest parking companies, was arraigned Aug. 8 on three counts of rape in Nantucket District Court. Last month, a grand jury returned true bills on two charges. The criminal indictments named the alleged victim, but The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not publish the names of alleged sexual assault victims.

Last week, an attorney for the woman filed a civil suit in the State Court of Fulton County, alleging that Robison sexually assaulted and raped her inside his Nantucket vacation home in the early morning hours of July 27. The suit seeks compensatory damages for expenses relating to the alleged rape and assault and related emotional suffering, general damages over the alleged defamation, and punitive damages.

“We have always believed that the plaintiff’s ridiculous allegations were financially motivated, and her filing of a civil lawsuit proves that her aspirations for a financial windfall are indeed what is driving her false accusations,” Andrew C. Hall, an Atlanta attorney for Robison, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday night. “We look forward to clearing Mr. Robison’s good name in a court of law.”

Robison’s attorney James Merberg previously said the incident between the woman and his client had been “a late-night interaction between two consenting adults.”

The lawsuit alleges otherwise.

“What happened in those early morning hours, after our client had already gone to sleep, was definitely not consensual,” said Richard Griggs, who is serving as lead counsel for the woman.

The suit also alleges that the Robisons “embarked on an unlawful smear campaign” against the woman, telling friends that she had fabricated a story that led to Robison’s arrest and that the charges against him were false. They then encouraged those people to spread the world, the suit says.

The civil action was filed, documents state, as it was believed that Robison was trying to sell his Atlanta home and possibly move out of state.

“(Jane) Doe has decided to file her civil action now before Robison can flee jurisdiction in Georgia and potentially force Doe to bring these claims in another venue at substantial additional cost, trouble, and difficulty to Doe,” the suit says.

“Atlanta is the Robisons’ home, and they are here to stay,” Hall said Thursday. “Any assertion otherwise is absurd.”

Robison sold Lanier Parking earlier this year. He once served as chairman of the board of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.