Paul Haggis ordered to pay 7.5 million dollars for rape
Paul Haggis ordered to pay 7.5 million dollars for rape
Image source, Reuters
Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis has been ordered to pay at least 7.5 million s of dollars (6.4£2m) in damages for suffering after being found responsible for the rape of a woman.
Jurors can also award to plaintiff Haleigh Breest for punitive damages at a hearing Monday into the alleged 2013 assault.
Hugging her lawyers after the civil trial in New York, Ms Breest said she was "very grateful" for the verdict.
M. Haggis, 69, denies the allegations and pledged to "continue, with my team, to fight to clear my name".
Warning: Some readers may find the case details below distressing.
As he left the courthouse with his three adult daughters, the Million Dollar Baby and Crash writer said he was "very disappointed with the results."
Ms Breest - one of five women who accused the Canadian screenwriter of unwanted advances dating back to 1996 - said she was grateful "that the jury chose to follow the facts - and believed me". None of the other four have taken legal action.
In 2017, Ms Breest, a publicist, sued Mr Haggis, claiming he had been raped in his home in New York's SoHo neighborhood four years earlier.
She alleged that he pressured her to join him for a drink after he offered to drive her home after the premiere of a movie. He then allegedly forced her to perform oral sex and raped her despite her pleas to stop.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis has been ordered to pay at least 7.5 million s of dollars (6.4£2m) in damages for suffering after being found responsible for the rape of a woman.
Jurors can also award to plaintiff Haleigh Breest for punitive damages at a hearing Monday into the alleged 2013 assault.
Hugging her lawyers after the civil trial in New York, Ms Breest said she was "very grateful" for the verdict.
M. Haggis, 69, denies the allegations and pledged to "continue, with my team, to fight to clear my name".
Warning: Some readers may find the case details below distressing.
As he left the courthouse with his three adult daughters, the Million Dollar Baby and Crash writer said he was "very disappointed with the results."
Ms Breest - one of five women who accused the Canadian screenwriter of unwanted advances dating back to 1996 - said she was grateful "that the jury chose to follow the facts - and believed me". None of the other four have taken legal action.
In 2017, Ms Breest, a publicist, sued Mr Haggis, claiming he had been raped in his home in New York's SoHo neighborhood four years earlier.
She alleged that he pressured her to join him for a drink after he offered to drive her home after the premiere of a movie. He then allegedly forced her to perform oral sex and raped her despite her pleas to stop.
Image source, Reuters
