The second day of Robert De Niro‘s courtroom testimony was simply as fiery as the primary, with the actor vehemently denying he was ever an abusive boss to the ex-employee suing him as a part of an ongoing discrimination lawsuit.
De Niro, 80, took the stand once more in New York on Tuesday. The Oscar-winning actor on a number of events grew visibly upset and raised his voice whereas testifying in opposition to his former assistant Graham Chase Robinson, in line with quite a few stories.
“Every little thing she’s trying to get me on is nonsense! Shame on you, Chase Robinson,” De Niro shouted.
He subsequently apologized for the outburst.
Actor Robert De Niro arrives at federal courtroom on Oct. 30, 2023, in New York City.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Robinson was employed by De Niro from 2008 to 2019.
She sued De Niro and his firm, Canal Productions, in July 2021. She is looking for US$12 million (over C$16.5 million) in damages for extreme emotional misery and reputational hurt. Robinson — who reportedly earned a wage of US$300,000 (about C$416,500) earlier than quitting her function as Canal’s vice-president of manufacturing and finance — has additionally claimed De Niro’s girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, pushed her out of the employment alternative.
De Niro and Canal Productions have denied Robinson’s allegations and likewise filed a lawsuit in opposition to her when she give up her job in 2019, earlier than she had filed her personal. De Niro and Canal claimed Robinson was a poor worker who stole 5 million Delta SkyMiles from firm playing cards and watched “astounding hours of TV shows” whereas at her job. Evidence from De Niro’s lawsuit shall be thought of by the jury within the present trial.
Name-calling and back-scratching allegations
While on the stand Tuesday, De Niro continued to defend in opposition to a protracted checklist of allegations from Robinson, whose legal professionals supplied a number of examples of alleged office mistreatment by the hands of De Niro.
When De Niro was requested by Robinson’s lawyer Andrew Macurdy if he had ever known as her names whereas Robinson was employed, De Niro confessed he had.
“Yeah, fine, I berated her,” De Niro mentioned, citing an occasion the place Robinson allegedly didn’t wake him up in time for a gathering.
“I wasn’t abusive. I was annoyed.”
De Niro mentioned that on the time he could have known as Robinson “petulant,” “snippy” and a “f—ing spoiled brat.” Still, De Niro mentioned he has by no means yelled at Robinson, however moderately “raised his voice” as a result of yelling is “one thing I don’t do.”
Graham Chase Robinson departs federal courtroom on Oct. 30, 2023, in New York City.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
As his testimony continued, Robinson’s legal professionals instructed the jury that De Niro most popular when she would scratch his again moderately than utilizing a scratching gadget. De Niro denied this declare however mentioned he could have a couple of times requested Robinson to scratch his again, although it “never was with disrespect or lewdness.”
While nonetheless on the stand, De Niro was additionally requested if he had ever urinated whereas on the telephone with Robinson. De Niro sardonically replied, “Give me a break with this nonsense. You got us all here for this?”
Gender discrimination claims
Robinson alleged in her lawsuit that she was a sufferer of gender discrimination and made to carry out “stereotypically female job duties” like laundry, regardless of holding an govt title at Canal.
On Monday, De Niro testified that Robinson, who was his assistant earlier than being handed the VP title, was “pushy” about receiving the chief place. He mentioned her assistant duties had not modified, simply the job title.
The following day, Robinson’s legal professionals once more pressed in regards to the allegations of sexism and requested why Robinson was paid lower than De Niro’s different worker, Dan Harvey. De Niro mentioned Harvey has been his private coach for 40 years.
“What does Dan Harvey have to do with her?” De Niro requested. “God knows why she felt like she should make the same.”
When requested particularly if gender was the rationale for the pay disparity between Robinson and Harvey, De Niro replied, “Give me a break with that nonsense.”
The trial is anticipated to final for 2 weeks, till Nov. 10.
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