Fox News Flash Top Entertainment Headlines of Nov. 10
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Filmmaker Paul Haggis was ordered to pay Haleigh Breest at least $7.5 million after being found liable in a civil rape lawsuit stemming from a 2013 incident where the former publicist was allegedly raped at the director's home in New York.
"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 Thursday in a statement to Fox News Digital. "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."
Haggis was charged with three counts of rape and sexual abuse. Punitive damages will be decided next week.
"We’re pleased to see justice served for our client, Haleigh Breest," lawyers Ilann Maazal and Zoe Salzman told Fox News Digital. "After the jury heard a mountain of undeniable evidence against Mr. Haggis, they did the right thing and held him accountable for his deplorable behavior. We commend Ms. Breest for the bravery it took to come forward. She stood up for herself and for all women."
Priya Chaudhry, Haggis' lawyer said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "We are disappointed and shocked by this verdict. We were not allowed to tell the jury so many critical things, such as the fact that when Ms. Breest first demanded $9 million for her silence, Paul Haggis is the one who went to the District Attorney and spoke to the police, not Ms. Breest, the fact that he sued her for extortion, and the fact that this lawsuit has financially ruined him."
Screenwriter and film director Paul Haggis lost his civil suit against Haleigh Breest on Thursday. (Julia Nikhinson)
She added, "It was impossible for Mr. Haggis to get a fair trial once the judge allowed the statements of 4 other women who never went to the police, never took any action against him, and 3 of 4 never even came into the courtroom. They used this to distort the truth, assassinate Mr. Haggis’ character, paint him as a monster, and use a ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire’ strategy.
"No one could have had a fair trial in that courtroom under those circumstances. This is a shameful exploitation of the #MeToo movement where political sentiment trumps facts."
The Academy Award-winning filmmaker was sued for sexual assault stemming from a 2013 incident where he allegedly raped the freelance publicist at his apartment following a film event.
PAUL HAGGIS ‘TOTALLY INNOCENT’ FOLLOWING SEXUAL ASSAULT ARREST IN ITALY, ATTORNEY SAYS
Haggis has maintained the sexual encounter was consensual, but multiple women have since come forward with accusations against the "Crash" director after Breest filed the civil lawsuit.
Breest alleges she was assaulted at Haggis' home in Manhattan nearly a decade ago and has since suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from the incident.
Publicist Haleigh Breest walks outside court earlier this month. (Julia Nikhinson)
Paul Haggis walks to court in New York in October. (Yuki Iwamura)
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Breest came forward with her story after seeing Haggis publicly condemn Harvey Weinstein on Twitter during the height of #MeToo.
"This man raped me, and he’s presenting himself as a champion for women," Breest testified in court during one of four days she took the stand to describe the encounter. "It made me extremely upset and want to take action."
Over the summer, Haggis was also placed under house arrest for 16 days after he was arrested on assault charges in Italy.
His lawyer claimed the Oscar-winning director was "totally innocent" after reports surfaced he was arrested in June for a "non-consensual" sexual relationship with a British woman. The charges were later dismissed.
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