A former candidate for the Virginia Legislature was apprehended on domestic violence charges after an incident involving an online sex video with her husband. Susanna Gibson Payne, 42, claims the situation arose from a misleading report made by her current spouse.
Payne was arrested on September 22 in Henrico County for alleged “Assault and Battery – Family” charges.
Following her arrest, she was released after making bail.
In a statement, Gibson accused her estranged husband, John David Gibson, 44, of harassing her since she initiated divorce proceedings. She described him as becoming aggressive during their interactions.
“My estranged husband, who has faced multiple arrests since our divorce filing, attacked me during a custody exchange in June while he was caring for our son,” she detailed, adding that a misdemeanor warrant for her arrest was issued over three months later.
Gibson had been a competitive Democratic candidate aiming to represent Richmond, but her campaign was disrupted when Republican operatives leaked footage of her live-streaming a sexually explicit video on Chaturbate, a platform known for adult content.
She faced accusations of filming the video for financial gain, which she firmly denied, asserting that the recording was purely to fulfill her husband’s fantasy.
Despite the scandal, Gibson remained focused on her campaign. “It doesn’t intimidate me and won’t deter my voice,” she expressed. She accused her political adversaries of resorting to extreme measures, claiming they would exploit any means to silence women who speak out.
Though she lost the election, the margin was less than 1,000 votes.
Since then, she has turned her efforts toward combating “gender-based and sexual violence” and founded “Myown Image,” an organization advocating for updated online privacy laws, which she feels haven’t kept pace with modern technology.
“I’ve undergone significant personal and professional transformation” since the incident, she told Politico. “Political operatives unearthed explicit videos, shopping them around news outlets to humiliate and intimidate.”
As the news of her arrest surfaced in September, Gibson reiterated the need for a reformed judicial system. “Survivors deserve a system that understands abuse dynamics and safeguards their safety, instead of letting abusers manipulate the law,” she emphasized. “I am a mother and a domestic violence survivor navigating a system that punishes those seeking safety.”
