Tristar Media
Embattled Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis was painted by prosecutors as a serial predator who used his energy to “manipulate” weak younger girls.
Haggis’ sexual assault trial received underway at a New York Metropolis courthouse this morning. The filmmaker appeared in court docket alongside his protection attorneys in a black go well with and grey tie as opening statements started shortly after 10 a.m.
Attorneys for Haleigh Breest, the previous publicist suing Haggis for allegedly raping her in 2013, opened the trial by framing the Canadian movie mogul as a “highly effective” and manipulative” serial predator who “doesn’t cease when girls say no.”
“Mr. Haggis used his storytelling abilities and his fame to prey on, to govern, and to assault weak younger girls within the movie trade,” Breest’s legal professional Zoe Salzman instructed the court docket. “A kind of girls was Haleigh Breest.”
Haggis, 69, is accused of sexually assaulting Breest at his SoHo loftfollowing a film premiere in New York in 2013. She was 26 on the time. Breest sued Haggis in 2017after the Million Greenback Child author penned an op-ed in The Guardiandisavowing convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein. 4 different girls have additionally come ahead alleging Haggis raped them after Breest filed her go well with.
Haggis has lengthy maintained the incidentinvolving Breestwas consensual. His authorized staff is arguing that the court docket case is a part of the Church of Scientology’s efforts to smear Haggis’ identify after he very publicly defected from the church in 2009 in a scathing letter to Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis.
Paul Haggis is seen in court docket.
Dorian Geiger
Haggis’ lead legal professional Priya Chaudhry, who described the Church as a “world-famous prison group,” moved shortly to name Breest’s credibility into query on Wednesday morning.
“We don’t should affirmatively show that Scientology is behind this as a result of we don’t have the burden of proof right here,” Chaudhry instructed the jury. “However as you will notice, the circumstantial proof of Scientology’s involvement right here can be highly effective.”
“Nonetheless, don’t allow them to flip this trial topsy turvy. Don’t allow them to recommend to you that if we are able to’t show that Scientology is behind this, that Haleigh Breest ought to win. Haleigh Breest can solely win for those who consider her,” she stated.
Following each groups’ opening statements, the primary of 4 Jane Does who're accusing Haggis of rape testified.
The girl, who was 28 on the time, and who hasn’t been recognized by The Day by day Beast, testified how she first met Haggis whereas working as a publicist on the set of CBS’ Canadian crime drama Due South in 1996. She recalled in lurid element how Haggis allegedly pushed her up towards a wall and forcibly kissed her following a late-night assembly in her boss’ on-set workplace.
“He grabbed me by the arm and began kissing me, which was very surprising,” she stated. “I simply couldn’t consider that it was taking place. There’s no indication that I used to be within the place that I'd reciprocate, like there was no purpose for him to assume this was acceptable. I simply froze. In hindsight, I want I'd have simply run out of there, however I didn’t.”
The girl stated when she resisted, Haggis grew to become indignant and threatened her profession.
“Do you actually wish to maintain working? Do you wish to maintain your job?” Haggis allegedly requested her throughout the course of the suspected assault.
“That terrified me,” she stated.
The girl stated Haggis later raped her on the ground. She famous that Haggis was the “most vital particular person” on the tv present.
“He was very creepy,” she stated of Haggis’ demeanor. “It was like an assault mode is what it felt prefer to me.”
Final month, Choose Sabrina Kraus dominated Haggis might argue that the Church of Scientology was behind bankrolling the case towards him. Breest’s staff had beforehand filed a movement requesting the court docket disallow Haggis from presenting the protection, arguing it constituted nothing greater than “speculative fantasy.” Breest herself has stated she has no affiliation with the Church of Scientology.
“The jury is entitled to be told of any attainable motive Plaintiff could have and about The Church’s efforts to discredit Haggis,” Kraus wrote in court docket paperwork obtained by The Day by day Beast. “Haggis ought to have the chance to current proof that can present that The Church was, in truth, searching for to embroil Haggis in ruinous, false allegations concerning girls previous to Breest’s allegations right here.”
Paul Haggis, winner of Greatest Image and Greatest Authentic Screenplay Oscars for Crash.
Toni Anne Barson Archive
Breest’s attorneys, in the meantime, beforehand scoffed on the suggestion their consumer was by some means actively embroiled in a conspiracy on behalf of the church to break Haggis. Lawyer Ilann M. Maazel described Haggis’ technique as a sham protection designed to distract the jury.
“There isn't a Scientology protection—it’s a cynical manipulative baseless conspiracy principle,” Maazel instructed The Day by day Beast throughout a phone interview. “I feel it will likely be clear by the tip of trial. [It’s] a sideshow. It has nothing to do with something. We’re going to be targeted on proof and Haggis’ conduct and the jury goes to listen to from plenty of girls who will testify underneath oath about Paul Haggis.”
Breest’s psychotherapist, Catherine Baker-Pitts, additionally testified Wednesday afternoon telling the court docket Breest first disclosed the sexual assault allegations throughout a June 2017 counseling session, months earlier than submitting her lawsuit towards Haggis. She stated Breest had initially framed the allegations as involving a “particular person within the movie trade,” earlier than later figuring out Haggis as her assailant.
Baker-Pitts testified that Breest’s account of Haggis alleged rape on the Hollywood screenwriter was “clear” and “detailed.”
“She by no means wavered that the rape had occurred — it was only a reality,” Baker-Pitts instructed the court docket.
The personal psychotherapist, who handled Breest between June 2017 and July 2019, acknowledged she’d accomplished roughly 65 counseling classes with Breest. Baker-Pitts spoke of the lasting trauma Breest endured, which she attributed to the the alleged sexual assault involving Haggis.
Breest, she stated, lived in a state of “power stress” and was perpetually “on-edge” following her encounter with Haggis. Breest, who misplaced her publicist job in 2017 after bringing forth the allegations Haggis, later turned to alcohol to quell her nervousness points and assist her sleep, Baker-Pitts testified. She “dreaded” leaving her house, and significantly averted New York’s SoHo neighborhood, out of worry she could run into Haggis.
Baker-Pitts stated Breest, who grew to become susceptible to self-neglect, remoted herself from household and social circles, which she described as a “complete detachment.” She finally identified Breest with nervousness order.
“She has an extended highway forward,” Pitts-Baker stated.
As court docket adjourned for the day, Haggis declined to talk with reporters.
“I’m not going to present any feedback, thanks,” Haggis instructed the Day by day Beast as he exited the courtroom.
In June, Haggis was arrested and positioned underneath home arrest in Italy whereas attending the Allora Movie Pageant for separate allegations of sexual assault involving a British girl, who claimed she was raped “for days” by the Canadian filmmaker.
“I feel it will likely be highly effective testimony,” Maazel added. “I’m anticipating the jury to listen to the proof in spite of everything these years… I’m trying ahead to the case beginning and on the finish of the day it’s going to be within the fingers of the jury.”
Breest will testify Thursday, in keeping with her legal professionals.
“It is a #MeToo case—accountability right here is de facto vital,” Maazel stated. “It may be very troublesome for ladies to face up for themselves and communicate out in instances like this. However I’m pleased with Haleigh. I love her and I feel what she’s doing is tough.”
Roughly 20 witnesses are anticipated to testify on Haggis’ behalf—together with attainable former outstanding Scientologists—nonetheless, precisely who stays shrouded in thriller.
The protection revealed on Wednesday, nonetheless, that superstar Scientology whistleblower Mike Rinder will testify on Haggis’ behalf.
Mike Rinder (L) and actress Leah Remini (R).
Paul Archuleta
Rinder co-hosted A&E’s sequence Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath alongside fellow ex-Scientologist Leah Remini, who has additionally beforehand come out in assist of Haggis’ assertion that the church could possibly be answerable for manufacturing the sexual assault case towards him.
“We anticipate the subsequent ‘revelations’ about Paul Haggis on this marketing campaign to destroy him to be primarily based on info culled from his Scientology recordsdata within the type of extra ‘nameless’ accusers, hiding behind a lawyer who won't ever should disclose who's paying their invoice,” Remini and Rinder beforehand stated in an announcement.
Haggis’ case is enjoying out as actor Danny Masterson, one other outstanding superstar Scientologist, faces trial in Los Angeles on three prison rape prices. Masterson’s accusers filed a separate civil go well with arguing that the Church intimidated and stalked them after the encounters have been reported to regulation enforcement. Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is preventing his personal rape prices down the corridor from Masterson this week.
Danny Masterson is arraigned on rape prices on September 18, 2020 in Los Angeles.
LUCY NICHOLSON
The Church of Scientology has denied Haggis’ allegations towards the church within the civil go well with. They denied Breest was ever a member of the controversial faith.
“The Church has nothing to do with the claims towards Haggis nor does it have any relation to the attorneys behind the case of the accusers,” Karin Pouw, a spokesperson for the Church, instructed The Day by day Beast in an announcement. “The Church has nothing to do with the claims towards Haggis nor does it have any relation to his accusers.”