A judge in Lecce, a southern Italian city, has ruled that there is no reason to continue an investigation into claims that Paul Haggis (the Oscar-winning Canadian director) had sex without consent with a young woman.
According to the Italian news agency ANSA, Friday’s court ruling was in favor of Haggis.
“After viewing the evidence and hearing arguments from both sides, the District Court of Lecce, an appellate court with three judges, unanimously rejected a prosecutor’s appeal to have Haggis’ house arrest reinstated,” said Haggis’ Italian lawyer Michele Laforgia in a statement issued on Saturday.
Haggis won two Oscars. “Crash”Known for his writing abilities, “Million Dollar Baby,”He was taken into custody in Ostuni on June 19, a place in Puglia in the southern region. His charges include sexual assault against a British 28-year-old woman. This occurred over the course two days during June.
The director, aged 69, was placed under house arrest for 16 days at a hotel before being released.
“Two weeks ago, Judge Vilma Gilli of the Court of Brindisi questioned the alleged victim and then immediately overturned Haggis’ house arrest,”Laforgia made the statement.
The Prosecutor of Brindisi appealed her decision to the Court of Lecce, where Haggis’ lawyer, presented what he says is “irrefutable and objective evidence that the woman told multiple lies to investigators and the court, with facts and witnesses completely contradicting her story,”The lawyer was also added.
There was no immediate comment from the alleged victim’s legal team.
Laforgia stated that Haggis’ arrest was the result of a judicial error ansd, based on the evidence, the prosecutors must now close the case. Unless new evidence is presented, this is likely to occur in the coming weeks.
On Friday evening, the Court of Lecce contacted attorneys for both parties to inform them of the court’s decision, rejecting the public prosecutor’s appeal and confirming the decision made by judge Gilli. Now, four judges have ruled in favor Haggis.
“In the coming weeks, the reasons for the decision will be known and, therefore, so will the fate of the judicial proceedings pending in Italy,”Laforgia was mentioned in the statement.
Haggis is also being sued in the U.S. by Haleigh Breest, a film publicist who claims Haggis raped his wife in January 2013. Breest initially filed suit in December 2017 but proceedings were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The trial date for October 11th in Manhattan has been set. Haggis said that the encounter with Breest occurred after a premiere.