The ABC studio chief (or the man who was studio chief at the time) testified today that he signed off on the decision to kill off Nicolette's character 4 months before it happened. Part of NS's suit asserts that Marc Cherry killed her off our of spite, so there's that shot down.
I don't see how someone could make a show that essentially revolves around women and be accused of hating women.I think he sometimes hates his viewers, based on the quality of the writing on that show, but that's another matter.