Claudio Contardi appeals sexual abuse conviction

Defense attorneys for Claudio Contardi have appealed his conviction for aggravated sexual abuse and gender violence against his former partner, Julieta Prandi, to the Supreme Court of Buenos Aires. The legal team, led by Francisco Oneto and Ignacio Alvarado, argues that the victim provided “two different accounts” of the events during interviews with national magazines compared to her legal testimony.

The defense is requesting either an acquittal or a new trial with an effective defense where the complainant can be confronted with her previous statements. They also argued that consent should be deduced from the context of the relationship and questioned the validity of forensic techniques used in the case.

The Buenos Aires Court of Cassation had previously confirmed the conviction but reduced the sentence to 18 years and six months by removing an aggravating factor related to the defendant's conduct following the incident.