After the closing arguments in the New York civil Rape Trial of Paul Haggis (accused of sexually assaulting an ex-film publicist almost a decade ago), jury deliberations will start on Thursday.
It’s unclear how long it will take to reach a verdict, but since it’s a civil trial, the Oscar-winning filmmaker of “Million Dollar Baby”And “Crash”Only potential monetary damage is possible, not jail time.
This case has been ongoing for three weeks and centers on the allegations of Haleigh Breest (a former film publicist). She sued Breest in 2017, alleging that he forced her to have oral sex and then raped him in his Soho home after the 2013 premiere of the movie. Breest was a freelancer and Haggis was a guest at the event. Haggis confirmed that the encounter did take place. “none was non-consensual.”
Five key topics will be considered by the jury, including whether plaintiff and defendant had oral sex with force or sexual intercourse. Jurors will also decide if Breest should receive punitive or compensatory damages.
During closing arguments on Wednesday, Haggis’ attorney Priya Chaudhry tried to combat Breest’s claims by casting doubt on her memory of the night and suggesting she’s after revenge and celebrity.
“She’s a publicist. What she does is create publicity… She wants to be famous. She wants to be Monica Lewinsky,”Chaudhry informed jurors. “Maybe she wants a book deal, she said she’s open to it. Maybe she wants a movie, she said she’s open to it.”
Chaudhry said that the lawsuit was an attempt at extortion. “This trial is not about justice for her. This is a blatant cash grab,”She said. “This lawsuit has utterly destroyed [Haggis’ career], but to Haleigh, this case is about money. It’s a payday.”
Haggis presented a different view of the events on that night at the trial. Breest claimed that he was interested in him, and that he volunteered to have oral sex with him. “very good at this.”He also testified to the fact that Breest was giving off “mixed signals”at his apartment, and admitted that he had “no memory”she had with her the night before.
Meanwhile Breest, who was 26 at the time, says she reluctantly agreed to have a drink at the director’s apartment after he denied her suggestion to go to a public bar. She said that she felt the same way. “absolutely paralyzed and terrified”Haggis, then aged 59, kissed her and forced her to enter a bedroom. This is where the alleged sexual assault took place.
“When you say yes to having a drink at a man’s house after midnight, you cannot be shocked when he makes a pass at you,”Chaudhry stated this during the three-hour concluding argument. “This is the world we live in. We all know what that means.”
The Church of Scientology also received defense. Haggis and his attorneys have repeatedly claimed that Breest’s rape charge came in retaliation over the director’s decision to leave — and loudly criticize — the controversial religion in 2009. During the trial, attorneys for each party has seemingly agreed there’s “no evidence” to suggest Breest has ties to Scientology, but the defense claims the reason there’s no tangible proof is because the church doesn’t leave behind fingerprints. Breest’s team has chalked up the argument to a conspiracy theory.
“One can never tell the story of Paul Haggis without talking about Scientology,”Chaudhry spoke. “Scientology is permanently attached to him like a dark shadow.”
During the prosecution’s closing arguments, Breest’s attorney Ilann Maazel countered that claim, saying, “[Blaming Scientology] is the perfect defense. There was no evidence, so you’d never know.”He continued, “The church is a cult, and Mr. Haggis is a rapist. Both are true.”
The plaintiff’s attorney also doubled down on the assertion that Haggis used his fame and position in Hollywood to “prey on, manipulate and attack vulnerable young women in the film industry.”Breest was only suing Haggis. Her legal team used the testimony of four additional women to prove that the filmmaker’s rape against Breest is consistent with a pattern.
“To Paul Haggis, no never means no,”During his closing argument, which lasted two hours, he said these words to jurors.
Breest says she wasn’t hired again as a freelance publicist at The Cinema Society after she brought on the lawsuit against Haggis. According to her attorney, Haggis was friends with Breest’s boss at The Cinema Society, which hosted the movie premiere on the night the incident in question took place.
Maazel pointed out that although the plaintiff didn’t ask for a specific amount regarding financial damages from the jury, Maazel said that it was possible to get a number. “substantial injury requires significant verdict.”
“Tell him no, you cannot rape a woman and get away with it,”He concluded. “This is a horror film by Paul Haggis — and only you can end it.”