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Actor Robert De Niro arrives to court docket in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. De Niro continues his testimony in a $12 million lawsuit accusing him of being a nasty boss. The 80-year-old actor is being sued by a former assistant, Graham Chase Robinson. De Niro can also be suing Robinson, accusing her of charging private bills to his firm. (AP Picture/Seth Wenig)
NEW YORK – A lady who served as actor Robert De Niro’s chief private assistant for over a decade started testifying at a trial towards him on Thursday, citing his offended outburst at her throughout his testimony two days earlier for instance of his discriminatory mistreatment of her.
Graham Chase Robinson started her activate the witness stand late within the day in Manhattan federal court docket as a jury hears proof associated to civil claims De Niro and Robinson have made towards one another. De Niro, referenced largely as “Bob” in court docket, has not returned to court docket since his testimony concluded Tuesday.
Robinson sued the two-time Oscar winner for gender discrimination and retaliation, in search of $12 million in damages. De Niro sued her for breach of loyalty and fiduciary obligation, in search of $6 million and saying she stole 5 million air mile factors from an account his kids typically use when he had solely anticipated her to take 1 million or 2 million.
On Tuesday the actor, offended at claims casting him as abusive and sexist, flashed his mood as he scolded Robinson, shouting, “Disgrace on you, Chase Robinson!” He shortly apologized.
Requested Thursday by her lawyer how frequent it was for De Niro to lash out angrily, Robinson remided the jury of that outburst.
“He yelled at me two days in the past,” Robinson mentioned.
She testified for a couple of half hour and was anticipated to spend all day Friday on the witness stand.
She adopted testimony from Tiffany Chen, De Niro’s girlfriend, who had repeaded clashes with Robinson in 2019 as Robinson labored on a newly bought townhouse the place the couple deliberate to reside, precipitating Robinson’s resignation from one among De Niro’s firms, Canal Productions.
Robinson, 41, had labored there since 2008 as her title modified from government assistant to vp of manufacturing and finance and her wage rose from roughly $75,000 to $300,000. De Niro testified that he granted the title change at Robinson’s request however her job duties did not change.
Chen informed De Niro in a sequence of emails proven to the jury that she thought Robinson was having “imaginary intimacy” with him and was a “imply, insecure, territorial lady” who “thinks she’s your spouse” and “desires to be the woman of the home.”
Questioned in regards to the emails, Chen didn’t again down, saying, “She’s loopy.”
In search of to counter Chen’s recommendations that Robinson wished for a romantic relationship with De Niro, a lawyer requested Robinson shortly after she started testifying if she was drawn to him. She mentioned no, and in addition denied ever desirous to dwell with, marry or have a toddler with the actor.
Robinson additionally testified that she was anticipated to reply what grew to become referred to as the “bat cellphone” at any hour when De Niro referred to as and he would aggressively inquire about it if she didn’t.
She denied earlier testimony by De Niro that he solely referred to as her throughout “civilized hours.” Robinson mentioned they talked by cellphone 5 to 10 occasions a day when she labored for him, with the primary name often going down between 5:30 a.m. and seven:30 a.m. and the final typically between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
She mentioned he was so demanding about her being accessible that she at all times carried her cellphone when she went to the restroom and prevented areas with out cell service.
Robinson mentioned De Niro would name her even when she informed him she was not accessible for a time period, corresponding to when she accompanied her mom to the emergency room or when she attended her grandmother’s funeral.
As soon as when she took a pal’s daughter out for her twenty first birthday, Robinson recalled, De Niro referred to as her later that night and requested her to convey him a martini from the restaurant.
She mentioned she met him downstairs to present him the drink — “He was in his pajamas and slippers” — and he referred to as her once more later that night time, at 1 a.m.
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