A fourth girl supporting the civil rape case of Haleigh Breest in opposition to Paul Haggis on Thursday testified by way of video deposition that after assembly the “Crash” director at a charity occasion, he methodically tracked her down and tricked her right into a date, tried to forcibly kiss her – twice – after she’d set specific boundaries, jumped in her cab to comply with her residence and solely gave up when a passerby acknowledged her hysterical screaming.
Jacinta Kuznetsov took the stand on Thursday and advised how she first met Haggis on the 2015 Toronto Movie Competition occasion for his charity, Artists for Peace and Justice. She stated she agreed to have a espresso the following day as a enterprise courtesy, and met him on the 4 Seasons the place he was staying.
She stated it felt extra like a “date” – Haggis ordered wine, instantly raised matters that weren’t business-appropriate and on the finish of the assembly, invited her as much as his suite to provide her a “present.” Kuznetsov agreed that she would go so far as his door – the place he gave her a small bottle of fragrance, and organized for her ticket to a premiere she was attending that night.
Kuznetsov stated she was gutted when she arrived to search out she was sitting with Haggis, far-off from her work colleagues. She declined his post-screening dinner invitation, however he then adopted her to an afterparty with co-workers and “shadowed” her there, insisting on shopping for her drinks and texting her whereas she was within the lavatory – the place she was pouring them out and panicking.
Additionally Learn:
Paul Haggis Accuser Says Director Pinned and Forcibly Kissed Her in Banff TV Competition Resort Room
When she returned, she’d had sufficient: “I needed to inform him that this isn’t OK,” she testified. She stated when she advised him very emphatically she wasn’t excited about him romantically, he apologized – then adopted her as she left the social gathering and tried to kiss her outdoors as she tried to name an Uber.
“He’s now bodily assaulting me, it’s not the manipulation, these form of predatory ways – it’s now bodily.” She stated she sprinted to a ready taxi however he jumped within the automotive earlier than she might lock it, inflicting her to scream “Get out!” and “Fuck off!” at him.
She stated he advised her to settle down, and defined that he’d merely take the cab again to his resort after it dropped her off and pay for it.
“I simply wished to go residence so badly,” she stated. “I believed if I complied … I’d get residence and I’d have the ability to be away from him.” Kuznetsov stated she didn’t even look forward to the automotive to cease – she opened the door and ran as quick as she might, however Haggis caught up earlier than she obtained to her entrance door.
“You’re completely not coming as much as my residence,” she stated she advised him, fearing that if he did, she could be raped.
Then Haggis tried to kiss her once more, she stated. That’s when she began hysterically screaming, catching the eye of a pedestrian. She stated Haggis froze, and he or she was capable of race to her residence and lock the door behind her.
She stated Haggis despatched her textual content messages the next day, appearing like nothing had occurred. “Pretty evening,” one learn.
“I wished to bodily throw my telephone, I hated it a lot,” she stated.
Additionally Learn:
Paul Haggis Accuser Denies Assist From Scientology, Says Her Attorneys Are Paid Solely If They Win
From earlier:
The previous publicist accusing “Crash” director Paul Haggis of rape introduced DNA proof to the civil trial on Wednesday, as attorneys for Haleigh Breest walked a forensic DNA analyst by a extremely detailed breakdown of what was discovered on a pair of tights she says have been torn the evening of the alleged assault.
DNA matching that of Haggis, who had voluntarily submitted to a subpoenaed oral swab, was current within the type of ejaculate in 4 totally different areas on the garment, in accordance with Angela Butler, who recognized herself on the stand as a “senior forensic DNA analyst and laboratory supervisor on the Serological Analysis Institute” in Richmond, Ca.
Haggis by no means denied having intercourse with Breest, and has maintained that the encounter was totally consensual. His protection has additionally indicated it’ll argue that Scientology is shifting like an occult hand to smear him after an acrimonious parting from the church.
“Ms. Butler, are you able to inform us to an inexpensive diploma of certainty whose DNA was within the seminal fluid of the inside crotch of Ms. Breest’s tights?” requested Ilaan Maazel, a member of Breest’s crew.
“Mr. Haggis or somebody of his paternal lineage,” Butler testified by way of videoconference from her front room in Petaluma, California.
“Now, you … discovered the DNA of a number of males on these tights; is that right?” Maazel requested. Butler stated that she had.
Butler stated she had discovered the DNA of a minimum of three males, other than the seminal fluid from Haggis, on the “inside crotch” of the tights, in addition to separate sperm cells belonging to 2 totally different males. Not one of the different DNA had been matched to anybody, she stated, nor might she decide its supply with out comparative samples.
Guided by Maazel’s questioning, Butler additionally famous that sperm cells have been proven to simply switch, akin to in a washer, whereas seminal fluid doesn’t; that the opposite males’ DNA got here from “epithelial” cells, which might be from just about wherever on the physique; and that Haggis’ DNA was the “discernable main contributor” to the pattern.
Additionally Learn:
Paul Haggis Accuser Shows Costume She Wore the Night time of Alleged Rape, Says Director ‘Ought to Be Held Accountable’
Breest first filed her lawsuit in opposition to Haggis in 2017. She stated final week from the stand that Haggis pressured her after a film premiere to return to his Manhattan residence in 2013, the place he kissed, groped and pestered her earlier than in the end forcing her into undesirable intercourse acts.
Haggis says the encounters have been all consensual, denies wrongdoing and has steered that his acrimonious cut up from Scientology has pushed the church to border him. Breest testified Friday that she has no connection to the church and isn’t being supported in any approach by Scientology.
