Paul Haggis Discovered Liable on All Counts in Civil Rape Trial

Paul Haggis misplaced his civil rape trial after a New York jury discovered the Oscar-winning director liable on expenses that he sexually assaulted a former movie publicist after a film premiere practically a decade in the past. Haggis was discovered liable on all three counts of rape and sexual abuse.

The jury deliberated for practically six hours and the unanimous jury of 4 males and two girls awarded the plaintiff Haleigh Breest $7.5 million in compensation and really useful punitive damages, which might be determined Monday. 

The choice concludes the three-week trial, which hinged on allegations made by Breest, who sued Haggis in 2017, claiming the filmmaker pressured her to carry out oral intercourse on him after which raped her in his Soho condo. Breest was working as a freelancer on the 2013 occasion, which Haggis attended as a visitor. Although he doesn’t deny the encounter befell, Haggis maintains it was consensual.

“I’m grateful that I had the chance to hunt justice and accountability in courtroom — and that the jury selected to observe the details — and believed me,” Breest stated in an announcement after the choice. “The best supply of consolation by means of this 5 12 months authorized journey has been the help I felt from the ladies who bravely shared their very own tales and let me know I wasn’t alone.”

Throughout closing arguments on Wednesday, Haggis’ lawyer Priya Chaudhry tried to fight Breest’s claims by suggesting she’s after revenge and cash.

“This trial just isn’t about justice for her. It is a blatant money seize,” she stated. “This lawsuit has completely destroyed [Haggis’ career], however to Haleigh, this case is about cash. It’s a payday.”

However in Breest’s testimony, she says solely filed the lawsuit after she noticed Haggis condemned Harvey Weinstein within the press after the producer was accused of sexual assault in 2017. “I would like Paul Haggis to be held accountable that what he did to me was mistaken,” Breest testified final month.

In her hours-long testimony, Breest, who was 26 on the time, says she reluctantly agreed to have a drink on the director’s condo after he denied her suggestion to go to a public bar. She recalled feeling “completely paralyzed and terrified” because the then 59-year-old Haggis kissed her in opposition to her will and took her right into a bed room, the place the alleged sexual assault transpired.

In Haggis’ testimony, he introduced a distinct image of the occasions that befell on that evening. He alleged that Breest seemed to be very focused on him and voluntarily carried out oral intercourse on him after stating she is “superb at this.” Haggis additionally admitted to jurors that Breest was giving off “combined indicators” at his condo and says he had “no reminiscence” of partaking in sexual activity along with her that evening.

On the trial, Choose Sabrina Kraus performed a couple of shorts clips from Haggis and Breest’s authentic video depositions. Within the video, Haggis initially answered “no” when requested if his penis penetrated Breest’s vagina. He later clarified, “It definitely might have. My finest reminiscence is that I fell asleep after having oral intercourse however that’s as a result of I can’t swear to what occurred after that. I don’t know if it occurred or not. I’ve no reminiscence.”

The Church of Scientology has come up repeatedly within the case. Haggis and his attorneys claimed that Breest’s rape cost got here in retaliation over the director’s resolution to go away — and loudly criticize — the controversial faith in 2009. Throughout the trial, attorneys for every celebration has seemingly agreed there’s “no proof” to counsel Breest has ties to Scientology, however the protection claims the explanation there’s no tangible proof is as a result of the church doesn’t go away behind fingerprints. Breest’s staff has chalked up the argument to a conspiracy idea.