Paul Haggis Attorneys Carry Scientology Again Into Trial

Scientology returned to the highlight on Monday within the Paul Haggis civil rape trial. Its reemergence within the dialog comes as a shock since either side seemingly agreed final week there’s “no proof” to counsel the individual suing the Oscar-winning director for rape is tied to the controversial church.

Protection attorneys for Haggis known as on former Scientologist Shawna Brakefield, who testified through video to jurors on Monday in a decrease Manhattan courtroom. “Anyone who speaks publicly in opposition to the church is only a goal for being destroyed,” she mentioned. “I’ve seen it occur.”

Haleigh Breest — a former movie publicist who’s suing Haggis for claims the the filmmaker compelled her to carry out oral intercourse on him after which raped her in his Soho condominium in 2013 after a film premiere — maintains she has no connection to the Church of Scientology. However the protection group for Haggis has repeatedly argued that Breest’s rape cost got here in retaliation for Haggis’ resolution to go away after which publicly criticize the Church of Scientology. 

Brakefield, an Emmy-winning documentary producer, testified she was nonetheless a parishioner on the Church of Scientology when Haggis left the group in October 2009. She remembers getting a name round that point from Tom Davis, the chief spokesperson and head of exterior affairs, who requested her to make copies of complaints or any unfavorable feedback made about Haggis.

“It was clear to me that he wasn’t after compliments and supportive materials,” she testified to jurors. “He clearly wished some form of grime.”

Brakefield mentioned she didn’t adjust to Davis’ request, however she discovered the orders to have “significance” because it was the primary time he had ever known as to request details about somebody.

“It was a really intimidating cellphone name for me,” she recalled. “I felt that, as a member of the church, you had been anticipated to be very loyal to the group and shield the group in any respect prices. And me not taking part in it might have ramifications on me individually as a parishioner.”

Brakefield spoke about defamatory actions the Church has allegedly taken to silence its enemies, which ranged from private assaults to publishing hate web sites. She claims she doesn’t “know for positive” if the Church of Scientology is behind Breest’s case. However, she mentioned, “When the information broke about this case, it dredged again up for me. The very first thing I considered was that the Church was behind it. It simply had nothing to do with who Paul was.”

After the jury was dismissed for the day, plaintiff lawyer Ilann Maazel informed Selection that Davis’ story is “one massive cynical distraction,” one which has no relevance to the bigger case. 

Alissa Haggis, the daughter of the “Crash and “Million Greenback Child” filmmaker, additionally testified on Monday afternoon and illustrated her “all-encompassing” experiences of rising up within the Church of Scientology. “Every little thing is in regards to the Church,” she mentioned.

She left the Church when she was 18 as a result of she realized she was homosexual. Paul Haggis parted with Scientology after 30 years over its opposition to homosexual marriage. 

“I knew Scientology was very homophobic. I didn’t need to take care of that very a lot,” she mentioned. “I did it very quietly as a result of the remainder of my household was nonetheless in there at that time.”

Maazel requested Alissa Haggis immediately about proof that Breest was related to the Church, to which she mentioned, “No, after all not.”

Alissa Haggis briefly labored in Hollywood, writing screenplays for Disney and different corporations, however she believes she hasn’t gotten work within the leisure trade since Breest’s allegations on account of her final identify.

“I don’t actually have a lot of a profession proper now,” she mentioned. “Hollywood gained’t rent me as a result of I’ve the final identify Haggis.”