NJ court overturns child-rape conviction of Fox 5 NY reporter

HACKENSACK — A former network television reporter who lives in North Jersey has seen his conviction on child sexual abuse charges overturned, seven years after he was sentenced to 26 years in prison.

Charles Leaf, of Wycoff, was convicted by a jury in 2014 of eight charges including aggravated sexual assault of a then-4-year-old girl.

Leaf, who had been an investigative reporter for Fox 5 New York before he faced abuse accusations, has maintained his innocence throughout court proceedings.

On March 2, the state Superior Court appellate division reversed Leaf's conviction on six of those charges, noting that the evidence that had been used during the trial had since been determined by the state Supreme Court to be unreliable.

The appeals court, however, did affirm two fourth-degree child pornography convictions.

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