Four women accuse chef Mario Batali of sexual misconduct

[BetteDavisEyes]

Celebrity chef Mario Batali under criminal investigation, New York police say
Allegations of sexual misconduct against Batali were first reported in December.

Authorities have launched a criminal investigation of restaurateur and celebrity chef Mario Batali, a New York Police Department spokesman confirmed Sunday.

It wasn't immediately clear what incidents the police were examining. Batali was fired from ABC's "The Chew" in December and took a leave of absence from day-to-day operations of his businesses after the foodie website Eater.com reported allegations of sexual misconduct...

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-...riminal-investigation-new-york-police-n875911

 

[JerseyGirl]

Mario Batali Says 'It's Been a Bad Year' But 'I'm a Lucky Man' One Year After Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

Nearly a year after Mario Batali was first accused of sexual misconduct, the chef has relocated to northern Michigan to stay out of the spotlight.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Mario Batali pleads not guilty assault and battery charge in Boston for alleged groping

Batali is accused of groping and forcibly kissing the woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017.

 

[lonetraveler]

I have such strong feelings about this case that I can't really post on it yet.

 

[Trident]

Just looking at him makes me sick, I can't even imagine being groped.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Mario Batali Pleads Not Guilty In Sexual Assault Case | Xfinity

UPDATE: In a Boston courtroom today, Mario Batali pleaded not guilty to a charge that he allegedly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. He was released without bail and is not required to appear at the next court hearing, which is scheduled for July 12...

 

[JerseyGirl]

Disgraced chef Mario Batali to face April trial in sexual misconduct case

The trial will take place April 11 in Boston Municipal Court, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office said Tuesday after a hearing.

 

[Gardenista]

 

[JerseyGirl]

Celebrity chef Mario Batali waives jury trial in sexual misconduct case

The ponytail-and-orange Croc-wearing personality, 61, was once a Food Network fixture on shows like “Molto Mario” and “Iron Chef America.”

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Gardenista]

 

[FlossyMay]

I know.I can't stand Mario.
Waiting for Guy Fieri to be called out.

:lol: DH and I talked about this again last night. Can you imagine Food Network having to pull the plug on all Guy Fieri's shows? No more endless reruns of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. No more Guy's Grocery Games. No more Guy's Big Bite, Guy's Ranch (new), Fieri family specials. Fieri has been FN's bread & butter for years and having him called out for inappropriate conduct would be a major loss.

Oh my. What did Guy do?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Celebrity chef Mario Batali acquitted on sexual misconduct charges in Boston

The judge still had harsh words for the noted culinary figure, saying he "did not cover himself in glory on the night in question."

www.nbcnews.com

A judge on Tuesday found celebrity chef Mario Batali not guilty of on sexual misconduct charges, but still chastised him about the 2017 incident at a Boston restaurant that led to charges.

Batali was acquitted of alleged indecent assault and battery, according to a finding by Boston Municipal Court Judge James Stanton.

The judge said there were “credibility" issues with the complaining witness that led to reasonable doubt...

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Celebrity chef Mario Batali acquitted on sexual misconduct charges in Boston

The judge still had harsh words for the noted culinary figure, saying he "did not cover himself in glory on the night in question."

www.nbcnews.com

A judge on Tuesday found celebrity chef Mario Batali not guilty of on sexual misconduct charges, but still chastised him about the 2017 incident at a Boston restaurant that led to charges.

Batali was acquitted of alleged indecent assault and battery, according to a finding by Boston Municipal Court Judge James Stanton.

The judge said there were “credibility" issues with the complaining witness that led to reasonable doubt...

I watched the trial. I think he did grope her, but the verdict is understandable since the complainant was not a good witness. She comes off not very serious and not even that bothered by the incident. And they were able to bring up past instances of dishonesty, because they had all her text messages. Lots of people have probably lied in their texts, but unfortunately for her they found her lying when she was called for jury duty in the past. She tried to get out of it by telling the court she was clairvoyant. She even testified here that she is clairvoyant, probably just so she didn't have to admit she lied to the other court. That probably sealed it because it was a bench trial, and any judge would likely look down on someone found to have been lying to a judge, especially to get out of jury duty. That's probably why Batali's lawyers waived a jury.

But I do think he did it, because her friend did testify that she told her about it soon after, and I don't think that witness was lying about that. And even though the judge didn't allow the alleged victim to be shown on camera or any of the selfies she took during the incident, the TV camera did catch a glimpse of one of the selfies that a lawyer was holding in his hand. None of the selfies apparently showed anything below the upper body, but they did show him kissing on her. The one I saw showed him planting one on her cheek quite strongly with his eyes closed, and his hand holding the other side of her face to him. That's a pretty aggressive move for a selfie.

But from the time stamps, the pics were taken over several minutes, so the judge did take that as meaning she was not upset at the time by what Batali was doing. I think she tolerated it just because he's a celebrity.

Celebrities do get away with selfie gropes all the time, as can be seen by the ones who have been called out about it years later, like Al Franken, Poppy Bush, Ron Jeremy, or even Elie Wiesel.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Mario Batali acquittal underscores perils of #MeToo cases

Legal experts and victims’ advocates say celebrity chef Mario Batali’s acquittal on sexual assault charges underscores the inherent difficulties of prosecuting such cases nearly five years into the #MeToo era.

www.clickondetroit.com

BOSTON – Bill Cosby was released from prison when his conviction that he drugged and assaulted a woman was overturned. Quarterback Deshaun Watson landed a record-setting $230 million contract, despite an investigation into allegations he assaulted 22 women. Celebrity chef Mario Batali was acquitted this week on just the second day of his sexual assault trial in Boston.

Nearly five years into the #MeToo era, former prosecutors, legal experts and victims’ advocates say prosecuting sexual misconduct cases has proven to be no easier than before the reckoning that ignited a firestorm of accusations against powerful, seemingly untouchable men.

Cases such as Batali's, if nothing else, reinforce how the criminal justice system remains “an extremely imperfect tool” for addressing the needs of survivors, said Emily Martin, a vice president at the National Women’s Law Center, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group...

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

This thread has a NOTGUILTY tag, but that was only for one of the many claims.