Paul Haggis released from house arrest in Italy, lawyer says
An Italian judge on Monday ruled that Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Paul Haggis should be released from house arrest while authorities continue to investigate allegations that he raped a woman, his lawyer told Reuters.
"Our request to revoke house arrest was accepted by the judge without further measures, so Mr. Haggis is free," said Michele Laforgia, his lawyer, adding that he still did not know if his client wanted to leave Italy.
Haggis was arrested on June 19 after a British woman accused him of raping her over a two-day period in the southern Italian town of Ostuni, where he was teaching at a film event.
He denied the allegations during an initial face-to-face hearing with his accuser last week. "Paul Haggis explained the facts and what happened, and he declared himself completely innocent," Laforgia had told reporters after the hearing.
Laforgia said sex between his client and the woman was "totally consensual" during the three days they spent together, and she had no signs of injury or violence as had been alleged by the prosecution.
The 28-year-old woman gave a very different version of events during the hearing, repeating the accusations against Haggis, her lawyer, Claudio Strata, told reporters at the time.
Haggis, 69, wrote "Million Dollar Baby" and co-wrote and directed "Crash," a crime drama for which he won two Oscars.
(Reporting by Emilio Parodi. Editing by Paul Simao)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada-wide shortage of liquid Children's Tylenol now also impacting chewables
A nationwide shortage of liquid Children’s Tylenol is also impacting generic chewables, with Quebec-based Laboratoire Riva reporting a shortage due to rising demand.

Majority of people with Omicron don't know they have it: study
A new study has found that more than half of people infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were unaware they had it.
Ontario to reveal next steps of 'Plan to Stay Open' Thursday, hints at changing 'status quo'
The Ontario government will reveal the next steps of its “Plan to Stay Open” on Thursday.
Eastern Ontario doctor facing 3 new murder charges
An eastern Ontario doctor who was charged with first-degree murder in the death of a patient is facing three new murder charges, Ontario Provincial Police have announced.
'The childhood place to be': Zellers' return sparks fond memories among Canadians eager for its comeback
Canadians are recalling their fondest memories of shopping at Zellers as plans for its return are announced nearly a decade since its doors closed.
Proportion of French speakers declines nearly everywhere in Canada, including Quebec
The proportion of Canadians who mainly speak French at home continues to decline in nearly all provinces and territories, including Quebec, the latest census release shows.
Ontario mayor fires back at conspiracy theorists who tried to arrest police officers
An Ontario mayor had some harsh words for protesters who attempted to place local police officers under arrest Saturday.
Trump supporters' threats to judge spur democracy concerns
Hundreds of federal judges face the same task every day: review an affidavit submitted by federal agents and approve requests for a search warrant. But for U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, the fallout from his decision to approve a search warrant has been far from routine.
The return of Zellers: Hudson's Bay to resurrect Canadian discount retail chain
Canadian department store Zellers hopes to make a comeback next year, a decade after the discount chain shuttered most of its locations., brand owner Hudson's Bay Co. said Wednesday.