Oscar winner Paul Haggis has vowed to clear his name after the New York jury in his civil rape trial awarded plaintiff Haleigh Breest an additional $2.5m in punitive damages.
Haggis was found liable last week of three counts of rape and one of sexual abuse of publicist Breest at his Manhattan apartment after a party in 2013. The jury awarded $7.5m in compensation last week and Monday’s additional award raised the double Oscar-winning Crash writer-director’s damages to $10m.
Speaking outside the court the filmmaker said he had burned through all his money to pay legal fees and would appeal the trial outcome, adding: “I will die clearing my name.”
The 69-year-old filmmaker maintained throughout the two-week trial that his contact with Breest was consensual. He has not faced criminal charges related to the case.
In June, Haggis was arrested in southern Italy on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault in relation to a different case. He denied any wrongdoing and served 16 days under house arrest before the case was dismissed.
The filmmaker shared screenwriting and best picture Oscars for Crash in 2006, and a year later shared a screenplay Academy Award nomination for Letters From Iwo Jima. His screenwriting credits include the Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace, and Million Dollar Baby.
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