A judge in southern Italy on Monday ordered film director Paul Haggis released from custody at his hotel while prosecutors decide whether to continue their investigation into whether he allegedly had sex with a woman without her consent over two days, his lawyer said. .
Michele Laforgia told The Associated Press that his client Haggis, who is also an Oscar-winning screenwriter, is still in Italy. The decision was made by Judge Vilma Gili, based in Puglia, which is the region that forms the “heel” of the Italian peninsula.
Canadian-born Haggis, 69, was detained by police on June 19 in Puglia after a woman told authorities he had non-consensual sex with her over two days while in Italy to perform in an arts festival in the tourist town of Ostuni.
He has pleaded not guilty, according to the lawyer.
Laforgia said in text messages that the judge ruled there were no signs of violence or abuse on the woman, described by prosecutors as young and foreign and by Italian media as a 28-year-old English woman.
The courthouse was closed Monday night and Gilley could not be reached for comment.
Corriere della Sera, quoting the judge’s ruling, said she concluded there had been a “lack of restrictive violent behavior” on the part of Haggis. The judge also noted in the ruling that the woman’s decision to be with Haggis at his lodging was “spontaneous,” the Italian daily reported.
It was Gilley who on June 22, after a closed-door hearing, ordered Haggis to remain in custody while the investigation continued.
Prosecutors did not immediately say whether they would drop the investigation or continue it after the judge’s ruling.
Asked if the case could be closed, Laforgia said “we’ll see what the prosecution does at this point.”
Haggis, who lives in the United States, has had other legal troubles. In recent years, four women in the US have accused him of sexual misconduct.
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