Jury finds Crash director Paul Haggis liable of rape

After a three-week trial, a New York jury found director Paul Haggis liable on three counts of rape and sexual abuse stemming from a sexual encounter with a 26-year-old freelance film publicist in 2013. Haleigh Breest sued Haggis in 2017, accusing the director of forcing her to perform oral sex on him. Afterward, Breest maintains that Haggis raped her in his New York apartment.

Following six hours of deliberation, the jury unanimously found Haggis liable for $7.5 million in compensation. Punitive damages will be decided on Monday.

“I am grateful that I had the opportunity to seek justice and accountability in court — and that the jury chose to follow the facts — and believed me,” Breest said in a statement. “The greatest source of comfort through this five year legal journey has been the support I felt from the women who bravely shared their own stories and let me know I wasn’t alone.”

In her testimony, Breest said that Haggis invited her to a drink after a movie premiere in 2013. After he denied her request to go to a bar, she agreed to go to his apartment, where Haggis kissed her against her will. She stated that she was “absolutely paralyzed and terrified” as he led her into his bedroom.

Haggis maintains that the encounter was consensual and that Breest was receptive. Despite “mixed signals,” he testified, Breest told him that she was “very good at this” before performing oral sex. Haggis said he fell asleep after receiving oral sex and has “no memory” of vaginal intercourse. “It certainly could have,” he said. “My best memory is that I fell asleep after having oral sex, but that’s because I cannot swear to what occurred after that. I don’t know if it occurred or not. I have no memory.”

Haggis also accused Breest of orchestrating a “blatant cash grab,” with the Chruch of Scientology retaliating for his criticisms of the church. However, these accusations have not been proven.

[via Variety]