- Dylan Farrow accuses Woody Allen of sexually abusing her when she was 7
- "The one to blame for Dylan's distress is neither Dylan nor Woody Allen," his lawyer says
- The controversy began in 1992 amid revelations that Allen was dating Soon-Yi Previn
- A criminal investigation ended with no charges against Woody Allen
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Renewed accusations that Woody Allen molested an adopted daughter two decades ago were "engineered by a vengeful lover," the filmmaker's lawyer told CNN on Monday.
The allegations were "fully vetted and rejected by independent authorities," Allen attorney Elkan Abramowitz said in a written statement.
The controversy dates back to 1992 after the revelation that Allen, then 56, was having an affair with Soon-Yi Previn, Mia Farrow's 19-year-old adopted daughter with composer Andre Previn. Allen and Previn married five years later.
Allen's legal and public relations teams scrambled to respond to an open letter written by Dylan Farrow and published by The New York Times on Saturday recounting her allegation that Allen sexually assaulted her when she was a child.
Actress Mia Farrow had a long-term relationship with actor/director Woody Allen, whom she met in 1979. She starred in 13 of his films and he was believed to be the father of her son Satchel (shown here as an infant) as well as the acting father of her other children, including adopted daughter Dylan shown here being held by Allen. The couple split in 1992. 
Mia Farrow and then-teen daughter Malone Farrow arrive at the opening night of "Gypsy" on Broadway at The Shubert Theatre in 2003 in New York. Malone previously went by the name "Dylan" and has accused Woody Allen of assaulting her when she was 7 years old, a claim Allen has denied. She is now married and a writer. 
Ronan Farrow was formerly known as "Satchel" and was believed to be the biological son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen. His mother cast doubt on that in 2013 when she revealed that his father could be her former husband Frank Sinatra, to which Ronan quipped on Twitter, "Listen, we're all *possibly* Frank Sinatra's son." His MSNBC show is set to premiere on February 24, 2014. 
Allen's breakup with Mia Farrow was precipitated by her discovery of an affair between the director and her then 21-year-old adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn. Farrow found nude photos of Previn in Allen's apartment. Previn and Allen, seen here in 2012 at the premiere of "To Rome With Love" in Los Angeles, have been married since 1997 and are the parents of two adopted daughters. 
Mia Farrow has had 15 children, including three biological offspring with former husband composer Andre Previn, son Satchel (later known as Ronan) born during her relationship with Allen and several children she adopted. Here, she poses with Allen and her children, from left, Misha, Dylan (in Farrow's arms), Fletcher, and Soon-Yi in New York in 1986. The man in center background is unidentified. 
Woody Allen and wife Soon-Yi Previn are the parents of adopted daughter Manzie Tio Allen, shown here with her father in 2011 in New York. 
Woody Allen and adopted daughter Bechet Dumaine Allen attend a basketball game in 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Her mother is Allen's current wife, Soon-Yi Previn. Woody Allen, Mia Farrow family tree 
Fmr. teen girlfriend defends Woody Allen "What's your favorite Woody Allen movie? Before you answer, you should know: when I was seven years old, Woody Allen took me by the hand and led me into a dim, closet-like attic on the second floor of our house," Farrow wrote. "He told me to lay on my stomach and play with my brother's electric train set. Then he sexually assaulted me."
When Mia Farrow's 12-year relationship with Allen ended two decades ago, the actress accused him of molesting Dylan, one of two children she had adopted with Allen. The charge triggered a child custody battle, with Allen going to court to get both adopted children and Satchel, their biological son, who now goes by Ronan Farrow. But a police investigation of the allegations ended without charges against Allen.
"A team of investigators from Yale-New Haven Hospital that was retained by the Connecticut State Police subsequently concluded Dylan had not been abused," according to an account in the Times, which covered the custody proceedings.
Acting Justice Elliott Wilk of New York's State Supreme Court "said it was unlikely that Mr. Allen could be prosecuted for sexual abuse based on the evidence," the newspaper reported. "But while a team of experts concluded that Dylan was not abused, the judge said he found the evidence inconclusive."
A former prosecutor who decided against pressing charges in the case declined to comment on the details in Dylan Farrow's letter Sunday.
"As a prosecutor I really can't comment on the substance of the statement of this now young woman. As a father of a child not too much older than this young woman, I can only say I hope she finds some peace and solace in the way she's expressing herself," former Connecticut State's Attorney Frank Maco said. "I hope she had access to my written statement of decision. My statement is as valid today as it was 20 years ago."
In 1993, Maco -- who's since retired -- told reporters he believed there was probable cause to arrest Allen. But he said he decided not to press charges, with Mia Farrow's support, "rather than exposing the child to possible harm."
Allen's team responds
Allen's lawyer responded in a statement e-mailed to CNN on Monday: "It is tragic that after 20 years a story engineered by a vengeful lover resurfaces even though it was fully vetted and rejected by independent authorities. The one to blame for Dylan's distress is neither Dylan nor Woody Allen."
Allen representative Leslee Dart said in a prepared statement Sunday that Allen "read the article and found it untrue and disgraceful." He would respond "very soon," Dart said.
"At the time, a thorough investigation was conducted by court appointed independent experts," Dart said. "The experts concluded there was no credible evidence of molestation; that Dylan Farrow had an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality; and that Dylan Farrow had likely been coached by her mother Mia Farrow. No charges were ever filed."
Dylan Farrow's letter addressed this: "Woody Allen was never convicted of any crime. That he got away with what he did to me haunted me as I grew up," she wrote. "I was stricken with guilt that I had allowed him to be near other little girls. I was terrified of being touched by men. I developed an eating disorder. I began cutting myself."
Her letter and Twitter postings by Ronan Farrow attacking his estranged father come as the 78-year-old director and his latest film -- "Blue Jasmine" -- are up for honors during Hollywood's annual award season.
When the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave Allen a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes last month, his son tweeted: "Missed the Woody Allen tribute -- did they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after Annie Hall?"
Dylan Farrow's letter appeared in Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's blog just hours before the Writers Guild Awards ceremony, for which Allen had been nominated for best screenplay for "Blue Jasmine." He did not win.
Academy voters begin casting Oscar ballots on February 14. Allen and his cast are up for three Academy Awards, including best original screenplay for Allen, best actress for Cate Blanchett and best supporting actress for Sally Hawkins.
Dylan Farrow admonished actors by name for "turning a blind eye" and for continuing to work with Allen. CNN reached out to the stars that Dylan Farrow challenged by name in her letter but has not yet received responses.
In a series of Twitter posts Sunday, actor Alec Baldwin, who starred in "Blue Jasmine," fired back at people asking him to respond to the allegations. "You are mistaken if you think there is a place for me, or any outsider, in this family's issue," he wrote.
In another post, he slammed someone who asked whether he owed Dylan Farrow an apology: "What the f&@% is wrong w u that u think we all need to b commenting on this family's personal struggle?"
CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Ralph Ellis, Carolyn Sung, Todd Leopold, Sarah Edwards, Michelle Hall, Nischelle Turner and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.
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