Ciro De Luca/Reuters
ROME—When director Paul Haggis was accused by 4 girls of sexual abuse in 2017, he claimed that it was a conspiracy by the Church of Scientology, although there was no proof the ladies belonged to the church.
5 years later, Haggis has been accused of repeatedly raping one other girl whereas attended a pageant in Italy, and his lawyer is providing a brand new protection, saying the Oscar winner’s accuser needed to be a Bond lady.
An Italian lawyer talking for Haggis instructed The Every day Beast and different reporters that the girl willingly sought out the filmmaker for a sexual encounter in trade for a film half—although he has not labored in years and has no upcoming movie in manufacturing.
Prosecutors have alleged that the girl, who's a twin Russian-British citizen, “suffered repeated non-consenting sexual assaults” together with one so violent she was “pressured to hunt medical consideration” earlier than Haggis drove her to the airport and deserted her there.
“I used to be raped for days,” the girl instructed the investigating prosecutor Antonio Negro. “We had been presupposed to work collectively, however as an alternative he raped me from Sunday night to Wednesday.”
Haggis’ lawyer, Michele Laforgia, is attempting to color that encounter as a easy enterprise transaction. She mentioned Haggis met the girl in Monte Carlo this 12 months and agreed to fulfill him on the Allora movie pageant in Ostuni, Puglia, which Haggis helped launch.
Laforgia claims the girl “agreed have intercourse with him in trade for a job in an upcoming Bond movie” in what he described as a “product of present enterprise.”
Seemingly forgetting the huge implications that grew out of the #MeToo motion, Haggis’ lawyer mentioned his shopper, who co-wrote James Bond movies On line casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, agreed.
“Haggis instructed the choose the intercourse was consensual and there was no violence, so there was no crime,” Laforgia mentioned, claiming police had misinterpreted the medical examination of the girl.
The Every day Beast couldn't verify any alleged misinterpretation of the medical report with the police within the Italian port city of Brindisi, the place officers encountered the girl. A spokesman for the police station mentioned he was not conscious of any change in what was initially reported and, actually, repeated the unique claims, that are a part of the general public report.
No lawyer for the accuser has come ahead to touch upon claims by the Haggis protection crew.
Haggis misplaced his bid for freedom Wednesday after a courtroom determined he should stay underneath monitored home arrest whereas the investigation into the reported assault carries on.
When requested why the choose, then, wouldn't permit Haggis to stay free, Laforgia mentioned, “The choose mentioned Haggis was not a flight danger, however determined to maintain him underneath home arrest whereas the investigation proceeds.”
A memo signed by Haggis submitted to the courtroom that was leaked to numerous press shops purports to say that the girl “invited herself” to go to him in Ostuni and had consensual intercourse with him a number of occasions over the course of the three days she stayed in his room. The defensememo describes the girl as being upset that Haggis wouldn't maintain her hand in public and, on one event, returning drunk and initiating intercourse whereas telling him she needed to be a Bond lady.
The movie pageant distanced itself from the director, canceling the occasions he was scheduled to steer.
Among the many 4 girls who beforehand accused the director of sexual assault, is his former publicist Haleigh Breest, who sued him in 2017. That case has been held up in courtroom for varied causes, together with the COVID-19 pandemic. Final 12 months, he requested a choose to hurry up the case, claiming he might barely pay his payments and that the false claims had practically bankrupted him. He instructed Selection that he wanted to shortly clear his identify to work once more.
Haggis denies all claims of abuse and has blamed the Church of Scientology, of which he was a member for 35 years, for retaliating towards him after he left in 2009. He has been among the many most vocal former members to talk out towards the church’s usually peculiar insurance policies and has repeated counter claims that the Church of Scientology has motive to destroy his status.