Paul Haggis, winner of two Oscars. photo by Reuters
Paolo Haggis was under house arrest in Italy since June 19, accused of sexual abuse of a young woman Until today. The Canadian filmmaker was released on the judge’s decision, as confirmed by his lawyer, Michele Laforgia.
Vilma Gilli, magistrate of the Court of Brindisi, has decided to revoke the precautionary measure of the arrest imposed on Haggis sixteen days ago. Now he “is a free man,” confirmed the 69-year-old director’s defense.
The director and screenwriter, winner of two Oscars for Crash, lives crossed (2005), those for Best Picture and Original Screenplay, and author of acclaimed screenplays such as million dollar baby girl (2004) or Royal casino (2006), was deprived of his liberty in the Italian town of Ostuni (south), accused of sexually abusing a 28-year-old British woman between 12 and 15 June.
Paul Haggis testified on June 22 at the Brindisi court after being accused of sexual abuse. photo by Reuters
On Thursday June 30, her alleged victim testified for more than eight hours and confirmed what she had presented in her complaint: that Haggis had abused her for several days.
Despite this, Gilli accepted the defense appeal filed last June 30, believing this Monday that there were no reasons to keep Haggis locked up as a precaution in the hotel where he was staying in Ostuni.
Haggis has always declared his innocence and has shown his intention to stay in Italy until everything is cleared up in court. Laforgia, his lawyer, points out this, but he does not know if his client intends to leave the country.
What Haggis was accused of
The prosecutor of Brindisi, Antonio Negro, and his replacement Livia Orlando accused the director of having forced the woman to have sexual relations with him for two days, and then abandon her at the city airport despite her physical and psychological “precarious”.
The complainant said that Haggis forced her to have sex for two days, then abandoned her at an airport. AP photo
The woman was then assisted by airport and customs police staff, who accompanied her to file a complaint, and then transported her to the hospital in Brindisi, where the protocol for victims of sexual violence was activated.
“According to the elements gathered, the suspects would have forced the young woman, known to him for some time, to have sexual relations”, say the prosecutors. Haggis was in that country of Puglia, in Italian “heel of the boot”, to participate in the Allora Fest festival. But it is clear that he had to refuse his assistance after being arrested.
The background of Haggis that did not weigh
It should be remembered that in January 2018 the director was accused by four women in the United States. Publicist Haleigh Brest filed a civil lawsuit in New York accusing him of violence in 2017. Three other women later accused him of sexual abuse.
Haggis denied all allegations. The Canadian, who left the Church of Scientology in 2009 – because the institute rejected gay marriage – once said that the sexual abuse allegations are merely retaliation by that Church. But the complainants denied this claim.
At the time it was speculated that these records might weigh when he was tried for these new charges in Italy. However, they do not seem to have influenced the Brindisi judge Vilma Gilli.
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Source: Clarin
