the chef Mario Batali was acquitted on Tuesday of sexually assaulting a woman in a Boston bar in 2017 while posing with her for selfies. The judge doubted the accuser’s credibility.
In the jury-free trial, Boston Municipal Court Judge James Stanton found Batali, 61, not guilty of a charge of indecent assault and battery filed in 2019.
Natali Tene, 32, said in deposition that Batali groped her breasts, buttocks and groin and forcefully kissed her as he drunkenly posed for selfies with her at a bar near Boston’s Eataly, an Italian market and restaurant he owned at the time.
In announcing his verdict, the judge said he concluded that Natali had “significant credibility issues.”
Stanton stated that while Batali “did not cover herself with honor on the night in question,” the photos themselves created reasonable doubt that an attack had taken place, given the time the woman spent posing and the visible separation between the two individuals.
“Pictures are worth a thousand words,” said Stanton.
Batali showed no visible reaction when the verdict was announced and left the courthouse surrounded by reporters without comment. If convicted, Batali could face up to 2½ years in prison and registration as a sex offender.
The trial was the only criminal case brought against Batali, who was once a member of the popular Food Network and star of ABC’s cooking and interview show “The Chew,” and has faced multiple charges during the #MeToo period brought by women against her. the chef.
Source: CNN Brasil
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