After six hours of deliberation the jury found 'Crash's Paul Haggis liable on three counts of rape and sexual abuse.
Haggis was accused of rape in a civil case filed by Haleigh Breest in 2017, in relation to an incident in 2013. Breest, a film industry publicist, left a film screening afterparty with Haggis in 2013, when he offered her a ride home.
Haggis invited Breest to his Manhattan apartment for a drink. Breest claims that Haggis then made unwanted advances before being made to perform oral sex on him. Breest claims Haggis then raped her, as she repeatedly pleaded for him to stop. Haggis confirmed that they did, in fact, go to his apartment, but denied the accusations of rape and alleges that Breest initiated kissing and oral sex. Haggis claims he cannot recall if they had sex, but staunchly denied forcing himself on her.
After the verdict was read, Breest released a statement, sharing,"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.""I’m obviously very disappointed in the results. And I’m going to continue to, with my team, fight to clear my name," Haggis said, perEarlier this year, in an unrelated incident, Haggis was arrested in Italy on sexual assault charges.
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