A New York jury awarded $1.68 billion in damages to 40 women who accused filmmaker James Toback of sexual abuse spanning 35 years, according to the plaintiffs’ legal representatives. This significant verdict came from a lawsuit filed in Manhattan in 2022, following New York state’s implementation of a one-year window allowing individuals to file claims related to past sexual assaults.
The jury’s decision is one of the largest of its kind since the emergence of the #MeToo movement and stands as a landmark in New York state history, said attorney Brad Beckworth from Nix Patterson LLP. He emphasized that the substantial award aims to send a strong message to powerful individuals who inadequately respect women.
As of Wednesday evening, the court had not yet released the official verdict details. Beckworth noted that the damages awarded included $280 million in compensatory damages, while punitive damages accounted for an additional $1.4 billion.
“This verdict is about justice,” Beckworth stated. “More importantly, it’s about reclaiming power from abusers and their enablers, giving it back to those they sought to control and silence.” He explained that the abuse incidents reportedly occurred between 1979 and 2014.
Toback, an Oscar-nominated writer for the 1991 film “Bugsy,” has had a career in Hollywood lasting over four decades. Allegations against him first surfaced in late 2017, coinciding with the rise of the #MeToo movement, and were initially reported by the Los Angeles Times. In 2018, however, Los Angeles prosecutors declined to press charges against him, citing expired statutes of limitations in five reviewed cases.
Following the enactment of New York’s Adult Survivors Act, the plaintiffs filed their lawsuit, alleging a pattern where Toback lured young women on New York streets under false pretenses of offering them roles, subsequently exposing them to sexual acts, threats, and coercive tactics.
Mary Monahan, one of the lead plaintiffs, expressed her relief and vindication at the jury’s decision. “For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything,” she said. “This verdict is more than a number — it’s a declaration. We are not disposable. We are not liars. We are not collateral damage in someone else’s power trip. The world knows now what we’ve always known: what he did was real.”
Toback, now 80, has consistently denied all allegations, claiming any interactions with the plaintiffs were consensual. He also argued that New York’s extended statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases infringed on his constitutional rights. An email sent to an address reportedly associated with him for comment received no immediate response.
In January, a judge in the case issued a default judgment against Toback after he failed to appear in court when required. Subsequently, a trial to determine the amount of damages came to fruition last month.
This case highlights broader conversations about accountability and justice for victims of sexual abuse, underscoring the ongoing impact of the #MeToo movement in reshaping societal norms and fostering change.
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