Esai Morales has been cleared of rape charges

[Brian Damage]

March 7, 2008 -- "NYPD Blue" star Esai Morales has been cleared of accusations by his bitter ex-girlfriend that he raped her two years ago.


Elizabeth Mazzocchi, 33, claimed last August that the Brooklyn-born Morales, 45, who also starred on Broadway in "The Mambo Kings," had attacked her in the house they shared in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.

But police were skeptical of her charges because she continued to live with Morales for 15 months following the alleged assault.

Morales was cleared of any wrongdoing after the LA district attorney found no grounds to bring charges.

"There were never any charges filed against Mr. Morales due to insufficient evidence," said his lawyer, Richard Charnley. "There was an inquiry because the DA has to look at every claim, but my client was never charged with a crime, never arrested, never interviewed by police.

"Mr. Morales is pleased to be vindicated . . . We never looked at it as anything other than Liz Mazzocchi's being disgruntled."

Mazzocchi was dropped by her limelight-loving lawyer, Gloria Allred, in October, two months after filing her complaint. Mazzocchi then held a press conference and claimed that other women had made similar charges against Morales. "I asked repeatedly for the identities of these women, which were never provided," said Charnley.

Mazzocchi and Morales began dating in January 2006. The supposed assault took place five months later, when Morales "held me down and forcibly raped me. He screamed that I wanted it, and he called me a whore," according to the report she filed with police. She also said he gave her herpes she'll be stuck with her whole life. But she didn't move out until August 2007.

Is it against the law in California to file a false police report, but it is unclear yet if Mazzocchi will be charged with a crime.

Morales is currently working in London.

"He's glad the LAPD did such a thorough job of sorting through the case. He can move forward now that the accuser has been found to be a liar," said another lawyer for Morales, Robert Richards.

Mazzocchi's current lawyer, Nader Pakfar, said, "A civil case will continue in order to gather more evidence." He added, "Just because he's not being charged at this point doesn't mean if an admission comes tomorrow, they won't charge him."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03072008...art_100802.htm