BOSTON (AP) — A woman who accused Mario Batali of kissing and groping her while attempting to take a selfie has testified in the celebrity chef’s sexual misconduct trial in Boston.
Celebrity chef Mario Batali listens at Boston Municipal Court on the first day of his pandemic-delayed trial, Monday, May 9, 2022, in Boston. Batali pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault and battery in 2019, stemming from accusations that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman after taking a selfie with her at a Boston restaurant in 2017. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, Pool)
The 32-year-old woman said Monday she’d felt confused, powerless, and embarrassed to share her story until other women stepped forward to share similar encounters with Batali.
But Batali’s lawyer argued the assault never happened and that the accuser has a financial incentive to lie. He also argued the accuser isn’t a credible witness.
Batali on Monday waived his right to a jury trial and opted instead to have a judge decide his fate. The trial resumes Tuesday.
