Los Angeles Times

TV show producer charged with sex assault

Accuser says he was being mentored by Laurence Andries when he was attacked.

- By Richard Winton

A well-known producer on such TV shows as “Six Feet Under,” “Blue Bloods” and “How to Get Away With Murder” is facing sexual assault charges after being accused of drugging a man unconsciou­s before performing the sexual acts.

Laurence Andries, 66, has been charged with six felony counts, including sodomy on a victim prevented from resisting by a controlled substance, oral copulation of an intoxicate­d victim, and penetratio­n of an intoxicate­d person, authoritie­s said. The assault, authoritie­s said, occurred in Los Angeles on June 30, 2022.

Andries, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, is free on $150,000 bond. He was arrested by Los Angeles police in August.

The producer could not be reached for comment.

The accuser, identified in court papers as John Doe, told ABC7 that he is a military veteran and aspiring writer who was being mentored by Andries when he was assaulted.

“I believe that he drugged one of my drinks, took me to his place and then ... I can’t say the word. I’m sorry, I can’t say it,” said the man, whom ABC7 did not identify.

The man told the station that he met Andries at a writers’ program. In June 2022, they went out for drinks, he told the station, although he said he “always made it very clear, like, I’m heterosexu­al.”

According to ABC7, the man said he reported the alleged assault immediatel­y to the police despite the potential consequenc­es for his future in Hollywood.

Andries, a graduate of New York University Tisch School of the Arts, has been writing and producing in Hollywood for three decades. He was co-executive producer on “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Blue Bloods,” “Alias” and “Godfather of Harlem,” as well as one of the writers of HBO’s “The Pacific.” Andries also serves as a vice president of programmin­g for the Writers Guild Foundation.

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