Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Acquitted of Sexual Misconduct
A woman had accused Batali of forcibly kissing and groping her while taking a selfie at a restaurant in 2017.
Celebrity chef Mario Batali
Photographer: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
This article is for subscribers only.
Boston (AP) -- Mario Batali was found not guilty of indecent assault and battery on Tuesday, following a swift trial in which the celebrity chef waived his right to have a jury decide his fate in a criminal case that arose from the global #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment.
The 61-year-old former Food Network personality quickly strode out of the courtroom with his lawyers without commenting on the case, which centered on allegations that he aggressively kissed and groped a Boston woman while taking a selfie at a bar in 2017.