'Crash' director Paul Haggis found guilty of rape and sexual abuse

'Crash' director, producer and co-writer Paul Haggis has been found guilty of three counts of rape and sexual abuse.

The Oscar winner has been charged in a civil lawsuit brought by former freelance publicist Haleigh Breest, who alleged Haggis forcibly had sex with her in 2013 following a a film screening evening. Breest was awarded $7.5 million in compensation and recommended punitive damages, as reported by Deadline.

In the recent lawsuit, Breest claimed that Haggis forced her to submit to sex and perform oral sex while digitally penetrating her as she denied his advancements. The New York judge ruled that Haggis was responsible for first-degree rape and two third-degree charges of sexual abuse and criminal sexual act.

Four other Jane Does claimed Haggis sexually assaulted or attempted to assault them in separate incidents from 1996 to 2015.

Breest sued Haggis in 2017 and concluded with the Manhattan State Supreme Court Appellate Division in 2019 that the sexual assault can be classified as a gender hate crime. The law, titled Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Law, states that a violent crime "committed because of sex or on the basis of sex, and caused, at least in part, by animosity based on the sex of the victim" is a civil offence. violation of rights.

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Haggis testified that the sex was consensual and initiated by Breest, arguing that Breest's allegations only came out as a result of the #MeToo movement. Haggis presented a conspiracy theory related to his 2009 exit from the Church of Scientology. Leah Remini and Haggis' daughter, Alissa Haggis, testified in Haggis' defense that the Church is on a mission to defame its former members.

Haggis' attorney, Priya Chaudhry, has claimed there is "strong circumstantial evidence" of a Scientology conspiracy and that the #MeToo accusations have "completely destroyed it." Chaudhry previously represented "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah in a telemarketing fraud scheme to which Shah pleaded guilty.

Haggis previously co-wrote the James Bond film 'Casino Royale', 'Flags of Our Fathers' and the Oscar winner 'Million Dollar Baby'. He recently wrote episodes of "Walker." Haggis is currently in pre-production on an adaptation of Jon Flanagan's novel "Ranger's Apprentice", and is also writing "The Juliet", an adaptation of Alfred Bester's short story "Fondly Fahrenheit".

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