Decide in Italy weighs if Paul Haggis goes free in intercourse abuse probe

BRINDISI, Italy — A decide in southern Italy on Wednesday was weighing whether or not Academy Award-winning movie director Paul Haggis ought to go free whereas Italian prosecutors examine a girl’s allegations that he had intercourse along with her over two days with out her consent.

Haggis’ lawyer, Michele Laforgia, stated after the listening to Wednesday in Brindisi courthouse that his shopper reiterated his complete innocence and is in “hopeful expectation” that he will likely be finally vindicated.

Decide Vilma Giil was anticipated to subject her choice later Wednesday.

“Paul Haggis answered all questions and defined what occurred,” Laforgia instructed reporters exterior the courthouse. “He declared himself, as he had already finished proper after the detention, utterly harmless, within the sense that the intercourse he had with this girl was completely consensual.”

Whereas the girl’s allegations are investigated, the 69-year-old Canadian-born director, producer and screenwriter was ordered on Sunday to remain detained in his visitor residence in a farmhouse in Ostuni, a preferred vacationer city in Puglia, the area forming the “heel” of the Italian peninsula.

Prosecutors have stated he’s below investigation for alleged aggravated sexual violence and aggravated private accidents.

They didn’t instantly remark after the listening to, which lasted a number of hours.

Prosecutors have described the girl as younger and international. State TV and different Italian media stated she is a 30-year-old Englishwoman who had identified Haggis earlier than he got here to Ostuni to take part in an arts competition that started this week.

Requested by a reporter what sort of relationship Haggis and the girl had, Laforgia replied that the 2 had had a “relationship of acquaintance.”

The lawyer stated the protection disputes a hospital report indicating that the girl had suffered bodily accidents.

“There isn’t a signal of damage nor signal of violence,” Laforgia asserted, including, “I consider that they (the investigators) badly interpreted the findings of the emergency room” of a Brindisi hospital, the place the girl was taken after she instructed authorities that she had been sexually abused.

Haggis co-wrote, directed and produced “Crash,” which received the 2006 Academy Awards for greatest image and greatest screenplay. He additionally wrote the screenplay for “Million Greenback Child,” one other Oscar winner.

He has had authorized issues in recent times stemming from sexual misconduct accusations by 4 ladies in the USA.

On Sunday, shortly after Italian prosecutors introduced the investigation and detention of Haggis, he U.S.-based lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, instructed The Related Press that though she couldn’t focus on the proof below Italian regulation, “I’m assured that each one allegations will likely be dismissed in opposition to Mr. Haggis. He’s completely harmless, and keen to completely cooperate with the authorities so the reality comes out rapidly.”

As a result of Haggis doesn’t converse Italian, he submitted written statements in English to the court docket all through the listening to. Translations back-and-forth lengthened the period of the listening to, Laforgia stated.