Accuser testifies in Mario Batali sexual misconduct trial
BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts woman who accused Mario Batali of kissing and groping her while attempting to take a selfie at a Boston restaurant testified Monday that she felt confused and powerless to do anything to stop the celebrity chef.
The 32-year-old said she also felt embarrassed by the 2017 incident — until she saw other women step forward to share similar encounters with Batali.
“This happened to me and this is my life,” said the woman while being questioned by prosecutors at the outset of Batali’s sexual misconduct trial. “I want to be able to take control of what happened, come forward, say my piece and have everyone be accountable for their actions.”
But Batali’s lawyer, Anthony Fuller, argued the assault never happened and that the accuser has a financial incentive to lie. He said she’s seeking more than $50,000 in damages from Batali in a separate civil lawsuit pending in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston.
https://apnews.com/article/mario-batali-sexual-misconduct-trial-opens-9d0ade457b99b0646beb349a6287c40a
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