Lawyers for the Oscar-winning writer and director Paul Haggis want a judge to make public sealed court records that they say would clear him of accusations that he raped a publicist.
Attorneys for Haleigh Breest — who has sued the “Crash” director for allegedly attacking her in 2013 — “have concealed from this court and from the public critical evidence showing that no rape occurred, and that the sexual activity between Breest and Haggis was entirely consensual,” read partially redacted Manhattan Supreme Court papers filed by Haggis’ lawyers.
Text messages and emails were filed under seal on Monday by Breest’s team.
Breest wants to “ruin” the married “Million Dollar Baby” screenwriter “by hiding the evidence exonerating him,” his lawyers wrote.
But Breest’s lawyers fired back, “Defendant falsely claims that Plaintiff is concealing evidence that proves she was not raped … the record is replete with overwhelming evidence that Haggis sexually assaulted Ms. [Breest].”
Breest alleged that Haggis attacked her in her Mercer Street apartment, ripping her tights, forcing her to perform oral sex and eventually raping her.
Breest’s lawyers previously asked a judge to allow them to take a DNA sample from Haggis to compare against semen she claims Haggis left behind on a pair of her tights.
Haggis’ lawyers have said it’s irrelevant because they don’t dispute that the pair “engaged in sexual activity; rather, the dispute is over whether consent existed, which DNA evidence cannot resolve,” court documents read.
Haggis filed a $9 million defamation suit, which he recently gave up on after a judge tossed the case.
He has also been accused by three other women of sexual misconduct.