The long saga of reporter Alycia Lane has come to an end in the city of Brotherly Love: She was fired from a Philadelphia newsroom after she was charged with striking a New York City police officer last year.

She had been on leave until this final decision, the station said Monday.

Alycia Lane "has been released from her contract effective immediately," KYW-TV said in a statement the day she had been due back on air.

Lane 35, was in a taxi during a December 2007 traffic dispute, and is accused of using a sexual slur against a plainclothes female officer and hitting her.

Lane denied all allegations.

KYW, a CBS affiliate, had Lane start a previously scheduled vacation a week early and pulled her from station promotions during her absence.

"After assessing the overall impact of a series of incidents resulting from judgments she has made, we have concluded that it would be impossible for Alycia to continue to report the news as she, herself, has become the focus of so many news stories," station president and general manager Michael Colleran said in the statement.

Lane began there in 2003, and local news reports her earning $700,000 a year salary as co-anchor of the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.

"The termination is unfair because Alycia has never had an opportunity to defend against this charge, and tell her side of the story publicly," Lane's attorney said in a statement. "Obviously, on the advice of counsel, Alycia cannot talk about these matters because of the matter that is pending in New York."

Lane, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, famously e-mailed bikini shots of herself to NFL Network sportscaster Rich Eisen, which were intercepted by the sportscaster's wife.   She publicized the "caught" e-mail through the gossip pages along with her scathing retort.

David Smith, Lane's criminal attorney, reiterated Monday that he expects Lane to be exonerated. She has pleaded not guilty and is next due in court April 3.

"We still maintain that at the end of the criminal case, she'll be vindicated," Smith said.

The station wished her well.

"We wish to make clear that we are not prejudging the outcome of the criminal case against Alycia that is pending in New York," Colleran said in the statement. "We understand that Alycia expects to be fully vindicated in that proceeding. We hope that is the case and we wish her the best in all her future endeavors."