Former Boston attorney Gary Zerola, once named one of People magazine's "Top 50 Bachelors," has been found not guilty of two counts of rape stemming from a 2016 incident. The 51-year-old was accused of assaulting a 23-year-old woman who claimed she awoke to Zerola sexually assaulting her after a night out with friends in Boston's North End.
Zerola's defense team vehemently denied the accusations, portraying the woman as a liar and suggesting she had changed her story. They highlighted an alleged kiss between the accuser and Zerola earlier in the evening, attempting to discredit her testimony. Defense attorney Rosemary Scapicchio stated, "Plain and simple, she is a liar. The story…doesn’t tell half of what happened."
This is not Zerola's first encounter with such allegations. In 2008, he faced rape accusations from two women regarding incidents in the 1990s. However, those charges were ultimately dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Following the 2023 verdict, Zerola expressed gratitude for the jury's decision, stating, "I’m just thankful the jury had an open mind and listened to all the facts." His attorney, Scapicchio, added, "Mr. Zerola has been exonerated…and at this point can try and put his life back together. It’s been a long six-and-a-half months for him."
Despite the acquittal, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Zerola remains under investigation for a separate rape charge from 2021. Spokesperson James Borghesani emphasized their commitment to pursuing the case, stating, "There is still a pending 2021 case against this defendant with similar allegations, and we will once again do our best to prove those charges." Borghesani also expressed gratitude to the special prosecutor, victim advocate, investigating detectives, and particularly the survivor for their courage and perseverance.
