A judge in the city of Lecce in southern Italy has ruled that there is no reason to proceed with the investigation into allegations that Canadian director Paul Haggis, Oscar winner for “Crash” (2004), allegedly had sex with a woman. without your consent. According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the court ruled in favor of Haggis on Friday (29/7).
“After seeing the evidence and hearing the arguments of both sides, the Lecce Court, an appeals court of three judges, unanimously rejected a prosecutor’s appeal to reinstate Haggis’s house arrest,” he said. said the director’s lawyer, Michele Laforgia, in a note. issued this Saturday.
She also claimed to have presented “irrefutable and objective evidence that the woman has told numerous lies to investigators and the court, with facts and witnesses that completely contradict her story.”
“Two weeks ago Judge Vilma Gilli of the Brindisi Court questioned the alleged victim and immediately overturned Haggis’ house arrest,” added Laforgia, noting that the director’s arrest had already been lifted.
There were no immediate comments from the alleged victim’s legal team.
Haggis was arrested on 19 June in Ostuni, a town in southern Puglia, on charges of sexual abuse and beatings against a 28-year-old British woman, allegedly committed over two days in June.
The director, 69, spent 16 days under house arrest in a hotel before being released from detention.
“In the coming weeks, the reasons for the decision will be known and, therefore, the fate of the pending lawsuits in Italy”, Laforgia noted in the statement.
Haggis is also facing lawsuits in the United States, where she was sued by public relations Haleigh Breest, who claims Haggis raped her in January 2013. The trial date was set for October 11 in Manhattan, New York. Haggis states that sex with Breest, which would take place after a premiere, was consensual.
Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
