Dylan Farrow's Allegations Against Woody Allen Bring Up New Legal Questions

Dylan Farrow's Allegations Against Woody Allen Bring Up New Legal Questions

The back-and-forth between director Woody Allen, 78, and his daughter Dylan Farrow, 28, about whether he sexually abused her when she was seven has prompted talk of legal action.

The allegations began in 1992 when Allen and Mia Farrow split up after she found naked pictures of her adopted daughter, 19-year-old Soon-Yi Priven, in the 58-year-old Allen’s possession. Connecticut state prosecutor Frank Maco was on the case, but said he did not want to put Dylan on the stand due to her fragile emotional state. He told the Associated Press the statute of limitations ran out 15 years ago.

In Connecticut, Farrow had until age 20 to file charges. (She is now 28, married and living in Florida.) In 2002, Connecticut extended the cutoff to age 48, but that only covers crimes since the change. Exceptions can be made for the most serious sexual crimes.

Farrow could file a civil suit against Allen. Though a suit would offer the opportunity to retry the case in civil court, it would insure a drawn-out, very public battle that would be taxing for all involved.

Maco retired in 2003 and reviewed the case again. He decided a case was not possible then as well.

The subject was brought back into the news after the Golden Globes honored Allen with the Cecil B. DeMille award, and Dylan’s brother Ronan tweeted that he wanted to know if they mentioned his sister’s abuse during the tribute. Then Dylan penned an op-ed for The New York Times and talked about it for the first time publicly. Allen published his own in the paper and she was quick to respond. No matter what happens, Dylan said she accomplished her goal.

If speaking out about my experience can help others stand up to their tormentors, it will be worth the pain and suffering my father continues to inflict on me,” Farrow said in a statement following Allen’s op-ed. “I won’t let the truth be buried and I won’t be silenced.

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