Branch was arrested last month after slapping husband Patrick Carney, who she'd accused of cheating

9/15/2022

Michelle Branch Gets Candid About Domestic Assault Charge, Reconciliation With Husband

Branch was arrested last month after slapping husband Patrick Carney, who she’d accused of cheating. Now, she’s sharing more about what happened that night.

Appearing on Thursday’s episode of “The Tamron Hall Show,” the singer-songwriter got candid about what she described as “the worst night of my life,” referring to her Aug. 11 arrest on domestic assault charges.

“I don’t condone violence,” said Branch, who is based in Nashville. “I slapped my husband. Not the finest moment of my life.”

Branch was arrested on a misdemeanor assault charge and released after paying $1,000 in bail. She filed for divorce from Carney, who she’d accused on social media of infidelity, later that same day.

By Aug. 25, however, Tennessee police confirmed that the charges against Branch had been dismissed.

And earlier this week, Branch and Carney opted to suspend their divorce proceedings for six months in hopes of working through their issues in therapy.

She and Carney, who is the drummer for the Black Keys, married in 2019 after about four years of dating. The couple shares two children.

In her chat with Hall, Branch acknowledged that the headlines surrounding her marital strife may have hurt the launch of her new album, “The Trouble with Fever,” out Friday.

Still, she said the couple’s decision to seek counseling had already made “a huge difference” on a personal level.

“I wish that we had started it six months ago,” Branch explained. “If there’s anyone out there who’s watching, this is your sign. If you’ve been thinking about it, go talk to somebody.”