Scientology
The jury ordered Oscar-winner and former Scientologist Paul Haggis to pay his rape accuser at least $7.5 million with further punitive damages to be decided next week.
Lawyers for a woman who has accused the director of raping her said he deserves a third Oscar for his “performance” on the stand, calling it a case of “Dr Jekyll and Mr Haggis.”
But the top critic of Scientology admitted she could not prove a connection between the Church and the director’s accuser.
A jury in the rape trial of Paul Haggis was dismissed briefly Friday as lawyers argued over whether or not actress Leah Remini could be called to testify.
Paul Haggis told a Manhattan court he was getting “mixed signals” from a film publicist and even offered to get her a cab home before she allegedly gave him oral sex.
Paul Haggis took the stand in his own rape trial, saying he has “always been a flirt” but strongly denied that he raped a film publicist in 2013.
Paul Haggis’ defense team called fellow former Scientologist Mike Rinder to the stand who testified that the director was among the church’s most hated defectors.