Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Acquitted of Sexual Misconduct

Celebrity chef Mario Batali was found not guilty of sexual misconduct on Tuesday, following a quick trial in Boston on Tuesday. Batali, 61, waived his right to a jury trial, and the verdict came just one day after his accuser, Natali Tene testified. Tene accused Batali of groping her when she took a selfie with the former The Chew co-host in 2017.

Batali pleaded not guilty to indecent assault and battery in 2019. He would have faced two and a half years in jail and be required to register as a sex offender if convicted, reports the Associated Press. However, Boston Municipal Court Judge James Stanton agreed with Batali's legal team that Tene was not a credible witness and acquitted the chef. Batali and Tene did not speak with reporters after the verdict was announced.

Tene told the court Monday that Batali groped her when she took a selfie with him in 2017. She accused him of taking advantage of her. "His right hand is all over my breasts, all over my rear end, all between my legs," Tene said, reports CNN. "I've never been grabbed like that before... squeezing my vagina and pulling me closer to him. As if that's a normal way to pull someone in."

Batali denied the allegations. His attorney, Anthony Fuller, said the photos and videos "don't support" Tene's testimony during his opening statement. When questioning Tene, Fuller asked Tene about the night of the alleged assault and why she came forward. He asked about potential financial motives for coming forward. He also pointed out inconsistencies in her stories and accused her of joking about the incident with her friends in texts.

Although Stanton noted Batali's conduct was "not benefitting of a public person of his stature" during the alleged incident, he said Tene had "significant credibility issues" that were consistent with Fuller's allegations that Tene's motive for coming forward was "financial gain." In 2018, Tene filed a civil lawsuit against Batali. Fuller also pointed out that Tene claimed to be clairvoyant to avoid jury duty.

Tene accused Batali of groping her at Towne Stove and Spirits in Boston on March 31, 2018. She took about 10 selfies with Batali, whom she said repeatedly touched her in "sensitive areas" during the incident. "It all happened so fast and it was happening the whole time, in different parts," Tene testified. "I kind of froze up, to be honest. Put on a smile to de-escalate the situation. Kind of nervous, shocked, alarmed." Tene also accused Batali of being drunk during the alleged incident.

Batali was among the male celebrities accused of sexual misconduct during the beginning of the #MeToo movement in 2017. Eater published four accounts from women who accused him of inappropriate touching. After that, he stepped away from the public eye and cut ties with his own restaurant group in 2018. In 2019, the New York Police Department closed two investigations of two sexual misconduct allegations against Batali without filing charges.