Legal Commentary

Actor Esai Morales Cleared of Rape Allegations

By Jeralyn

NYPD Blue actor Esai Morales has been cleared of an allegation that he raped his ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth Mazzocchi. I'm glad. I like him.

I read about the allegations for the first time today, although his girlfriend held a news conference (transcript here)in December to accuse him publicly and she had (who else?) Gloria Allred file a civil suit against him. Allred since dropped out and Mazzocchi has new lawyers.

In the complaint filed by Allred, available here(pdf), Mazzocchi says Morales began physically abusing her in April, 2006 about a month after they moved in together. She says he raped her on May 19, 2006. She continued to live with him for months after that. She also claims he gave her a s.t. disease.

I spent several hours with Esai in New York taping a Montel Williams at the beginning of May, 2006. I wrote a long post about it at the time. At the end of the day, as we were leaving, a very pretty woman came up and he introduced her as his girlfriend. They seemed really happy. [More...]

The three of us chatted on the sidewalk for several minutes after the show. They told me they lived in California. I can't find a picture of her anywhere on the Internet, so I can't say for sure it's the same woman, but logic would dictate it is.

Given the interaction and the affection between them that day, I'm really shocked at her allegations. They seem really out of character. I'm glad he's been cleared.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 08, 2008 (boomark / email).