The company owned by Robert De Niro was found guilty in a lawsuit for gender discrimination brought by a former assistant.
Discrimination based on gender and acts of retaliation..
Although the jury did not hold De Niro accountable for the mistreatment, they did mandate that his production company, Canal Productions, make two payments of $632,142 to his longtime personal assistant, Graham Chase Robinson.
De Niro, who spent three days at the two week-trial, including two on the witness stand, has been ensnared in dueling lawsuits with Robinson since she quit in April 2019. He was not in the courtroom when the verdict was read aloud on Thursday afternoon.
The statement made was meaningless and, at maximum, he had spoken loudly in her company but never in a disrespectful manner. Afterwards, he gazed at her as she sat with her lawyers in the center of the courtroom and exclaimed: “You should be ashamed, Chase Robinson!”
De Niro stated that Robinson’s action of withdrawing 5 million airline miles from the company’s accounts was incorrect. However, he admitted that he had previously given her permission to take 2 million miles and that there were no strict regulations in place.
Robinson stated in her testimony that she resigned from her job due to experiencing an “emotional and mental breakdown,” causing her to feel overwhelmed and as though she had reached her lowest point.
According to her, she has been experiencing anxiety and depression since she stopped working and has been unemployed for four years, despite applying for 638 different jobs.
She expressed, “I lack a social life. It’s humiliating and embarrassing, and I feel judged. I feel damaged. I have lost my life, career, financial independence, and everything.”
De Niro’s legal team filed a lawsuit against Robinson for violating her duty of loyalty and fiduciary responsibility, even prior to her own lawsuit against him in 2019. They requested $6 million in compensation, which included the return of 5 million airline miles.
During his closing statement on Wednesday, Richard Schoenstein, the attorney representing De Niro, stated that the value of the miles that were taken amounted to approximately $85,000. He also mentioned that the jury has the option to require Robinson to return a portion of her salary, but clarified that their intention is not to seek punishment for her.
During his final statement, lawyer Brent Hannafan, representing Robinson, referred to the two-week court case as a trial for civil rights and appealed to the jurors to deliver a verdict that would benefit not only Ms. Robinson, but also all those seeking justice in civil rights cases.
De Niro has been awarded two Academy Awards in the last 50 years for his performances in “Raging Bull” and “The Deer Hunter.” He currently appears in Martin Scorsese’s latest film, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which is currently showing in theaters.
CBS New York Team
Source: cbsnews.com