James Toback, a former director of several films, including “Black and White” and “Two Girls and a Guy,” has been ordered to pay $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused him of sexual assault and abuse. A New York jury awarded the women $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion in punitive damages.
Toback, who was not represented by a lawyer at his trial, did not defend himself against the allegations. The court issued a default judgment due to his failure to appear. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, claimed that Toback used his power in the entertainment industry to lure young women into meetings with false promises of movie roles and then subjected them to non-consensual sex acts.
The trial found that Toback had repeatedly abused his victims over a span of four decades, starting from at least 1979. The alleged misconduct included physical contact without consent, including rubbing genitals against victims and ejaculating on them, as well as threatening to ruin their careers if they reported the incidents.
Toback’s defense was met with skepticism by many, who saw his claims of “biological impossibility” as an attempt to deflect accountability for his actions. The award may be subject to review, but it marks a significant victory for survivors of sexual abuse in the entertainment industry.
The case highlights the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability in the wake of the #MeToo movement, with many still calling for more to be done to address systemic power imbalances and protect victims’ rights.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/jury-awards-billion-40-women-james-toback-sex-assault-trial-1236187356