Crash’ Director Haggis Sued for Alleged Rape, Countersues Claiming Extortion Scheme

[Conil]

Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning director of Crash, has been sued for $9 million by publicist Haleigh Breest over an alleged 2013 rape. Haggis has responded by declaring the suit a shakedown and has already filed a countersuit for “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
Breest claims that after a film premiere, Haggis took her back to his New York apartment. According to Variety, she says that after he kissed her without her consent he said, “You’re scared of me, aren’t you?”

At this point she “realized she was unable to escape the apartment. Haggis brought her to the bedroom, where he ripped off her tights, and forced her to perform oral sex, according to the suit. She said she repeatedly said no, but that Haggis violently raped her, and that she passed out.”

Last summer, according to Breest, she started to see a therapist who diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder. But it was not until she learned that Haggis had condemned Harvey Weinstein that she decided to file the suit.

“The truth she knows and has lived is that behind the façade of these comments lies another predator, a man willing to force himself on a young woman less than half his age and take pleasure in the fear and pain he caused her,” the lawsuit reads. “Ms. Breest will not look the other way any longer.”

Haggis received the unfiled suit in November. On a phone call with Breest’s lawyer in mid-December, the demand was allegedly made for the $9 million.

The countersuit not only charges Breest with extortion, but claims that due to a back surgery Haggis had around this time, he could not have physically forced himself on anyone.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollyw...d-rape-countersues-claiming-extortion-scheme/

 

[kkelso]

Here we go, this will be truly interesting.

KK

 

[sempel]

Apologies but this one doesn't seem to be an open and shut case. It happened fairly recently, so not the same as the decades old stuff. If the rape was violent, there would be signs of trauma and she should have reported it to the police and the trauma would have been documented. And 4 years to come forward?

Barring the existence of a weapon, how can someone force someone else to perform oral sex? Just thinking from the man's perspective, all she has to do is bite down hard and I'm a goner. It's enough of a traumatic injury to incapacitate. Again, a knife/gun would deter her but no mention of a weapon.

Not that his defense is much better.

 

[Smallcock]

This is a good one to watch. Got my popcorn ready.

 

[james t kirk]

She should have gone to the cops the minute she got out of his apartment.

I'm real curious how she could not "escape" his apartment.

Put on your shoes and walk out the door. If he won't let you, dial 911.

 

[mandrill]

Apologies but this one doesn't seem to be an open and shut case. It happened fairly recently, so not the same as the decades old stuff. If the rape was violent, there would be signs of trauma and she should have reported it to the police and the trauma would have been documented. And 4 years to come forward?

Barring the existence of a weapon, how can someone force someone else to perform oral sex? Just thinking from the man's perspective, all she has to do is bite down hard and I'm a goner. It's enough of a traumatic injury to incapacitate. Again, a knife/gun would deter her but no mention of a weapon.

Not that his defense is much better.

I dunno, Sempel. Seems like you covered pretty much every last hoary, victim-blaming rape myth in existence in the space of a few sentences.

Can't wait for some of the ladies to chime in.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

I will not say there are no innocent victims in these recent events of alleged rapes and harassment, but I suspect there is more than one case of women going to private places to get a big career payday and/or stardom. Maybe the promises did not live up to expectation and they want their payday now. Many of these cases are not legally procecutable or provable after all this time.
This will be a very interesting case as Paul Haggis has filed a counter suit on the complainant.

 

[rhuarc29]

How does one prove such an allegation four years after-the-fact? You can't. Which means the suit is an attempt to extort money. She's probably hoping he'll settle out of court for a lesser amount, because that's what a lot of high profile people would do to avoid the full hit to their reputation. Look's like this guy has the balls to stand up to that kind of BS, and sadly there are plenty who will already judge him guilty.

To anyone who is sexually abused, I urge you to go to police immediately, or as soon as able. You must document all possible proof. I'm sorry, but if you don't do that, you can't reasonably expect to find justice later with no proof. The presumption of innocence is the core of all modern justice systems. If we discard that, we're in big trouble as a society. Unfortunately, we already have dispensed with it socially, though not legally.

I imagine they will both lose their cases; she because she can't prove rape was committed, and him because he can't prove the rape was not committed. The burden of proof is a bitch.

 

[sempel]

I dunno, Sempel. Seems like you covered pretty much every last hoary, victim-blaming rape myth in existence in the space of a few sentences.

Can't wait for some of the ladies to chime in.

I wasn't there obviously and without video nobody will know what happened. But there's some clear issues with this story that haven't been discussed in others. She realized she couldn't escape? Did he lock the doors? Did he hit her? Did he have a weapon? And forced oral sex has always been a bit of a contradiction when there's no weapon. If as described, it was violent, there would be clear evidence such as bruising or tearing. He's countersuing, claims he couldn't have done it, and it happened in 2013 not 2000, not 1990, not 1980.

I'm usually side with the victims, I think rapists are pigs that should be locked up for life (or worse). But in this case, the fact that he's countersuing and it happened recently, something is fishy. That's all I'm saying.

I am not victim blaming which would mean saying it's her fault. I'm saying her story doesn't add up like some of the others.

How does one prove such an allegation four years after-the-fact? You can't. Which means the suit is an attempt to extort money. She's probably hoping he'll settle out of court for a lesser amount, because that's what a lot of high profile people would do to avoid the full hit to their reputation. Look's like this guy has the balls to stand up to that kind of BS, and sadly there are plenty who will already judge him guilty.

To anyone who is sexually abused, I urge you to go to police immediately, or as soon as able. You must document all possible proof. I'm sorry, but if you don't do that, you can't reasonably expect to find justice later with no proof. The presumption of innocence is the core of all modern justice systems. If we discard that, we're in big trouble as a society. Unfortunately, we already have dispensed with it socially, though not legally.

I imagine they will both lose their cases; she because she can't prove rape was committed, and him because he can't prove the rape was not committed. The burden of proof is a bitch.

I agree - report immediately. However, I think he has a stronger case than hers. If you allege someone did something and they sue you for defamation/libel, I think you have to prove that allegation to be true. Need the lawyers to comment on this - either way, easier for him to get a win than her in a court of law.