A jury awarded greater than $1.2 million to Robert De Niro’s former private assistant Thursday, discovering one in all his firms answerable for subjecting her to a poisonous work setting.
While the jury discovered De Niro was not personally responsible for the abuse, it stated his firm, Canal Productions, engaged in gender discrimination and retaliation towards former assistant Graham Chase Robinson and may make two funds of $632,142 to her.
Jurors in Manhattan federal court docket got here to a choice following about 5 hours of deliberations.
Robinson sued the 80-year-old Oscar winner and his firm in July 2021 claiming US$12 million (greater than C$16.5 million). Robinson, who was Canal’s vice-president of manufacturing and finance on the time she stop her job, filed the lawsuit, claiming De Niro induced her extreme emotional misery and reputational hurt.
Her lawsuit got here after De Niro and Canal earlier sued Robinson in 2019 over allegations she stole 5 million Delta SkyMiles from firm playing cards and watched “astounding hours of TV shows” whereas at her job. Both lawsuits have been being thought of by the New York jury.
Graham Chase Robinson departs federal court docket on October 30, 2023, in New York City.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Robinson was employed by De Niro from 2008 to 2019. When she stop her vice-president position, she reportedly earned a wage of US$300,000 (about C$416,500).
De Niro testified that regardless of her govt title, Robinson nonetheless functioned primarily as a private assistant to him. Alternatively, Robinson claimed De Niro overworked and underpaid her and made her carry out gendered duties reminiscent of laundry, regardless of being in a high-level place.
Actor Robert De Niro arrives at federal court docket on Oct. 30, 2023, in New York City.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Throughout the eight days in court docket, De Niro and Robinson pointed fingers at each other in an try to put blame for his or her deteriorated skilled relationship.
A visibly “grumpy” De Niro took the stand early on and offered heated testimony. He dismissed Robinson’s claims as “nonsense” and sometimes raised his voice within the courtroom, even shouting “Shame on you, Chase Robinson.” De Niro later apologized for the outburst, however admitted he had at occasions “berated” Robinson whereas she was his worker.
Robert De Niro in a courtroom sketch on Oct. 31, 2023. De Niro testified towards an ex-employee who has accused the actor of gender discrimination and inflicting reputational injury.
Elizabeth Williams by way of AP
During her personal testimony, Robinson pointed to De Niro’s “shame on you” remark as proof he commonly yelled at her within the office.
Robinson made a slew of allegations towards De Niro all through her testimony. She claimed he would name her steadily outdoors of labor hours, usually swore and known as her names and repeatedly requested that she scratch his again — an allegation that has garnered ample media consideration because the trial’s starting.
While De Niro stated he might have known as Robinson names like “petulant,” “snippy” and a “f—ing spoiled brat,” he denied most different allegations. Despite Robinson’s testimony that her job was 24/7, De Niro maintained that he solely contacted her throughout “civilized hours.” He didn’t deny asking Robinson to succeed in an itch on one or two events however stated the request “never was with disrespect or lewdness.”
De Niro’s girlfriend Tiffany Chen additionally testified and accused Robinson of getting “imaginary intimacy” with the actor. Chen known as Robinson “a very single white female,” a reference to the 1992 Jennifer Jason Leigh-led stalker flick of the identical identify.
FILE – Robert De Niro and Tiffany Chen on the opening night time of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on June 7, 2023.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP by way of Getty Images
Robinson denied having any romantic emotions for De Niro and accused Chen of pushing her from the job at Canal as a result of she was jealous of her working relationship with De Niro.
In court docket, Robinson’s legal professionals pressed concerning the allegations of sexism and requested why Robinson was paid lower than De Niro’s different worker, Dan Harvey. De Niro stated Harvey has been his private coach for 40 years and shouldn’t be anticipated to make the identical wage as Robinson.
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