‘X-Men’ Director Bryan Singer Accused of Sexually Abusing Teenage Boy

[alp227]

Source: Variety

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer has been accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy in 1999 in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Hawaii federal court.

The plaintiff, Michael Egan, claims he was 17 when Singer forcibly sodomized him, among other allegations. Egan’s lawyers, led by Jeff Herman, allege that Singer provided him with drugs and alcohol and flew him to Hawaii on more than one occasion in 1999. His suit claims battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy by unreasonable intrusion, and it seeks unspecified damages.

Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, called the lawsuit “absurd and defamatory.”

“The claims made against Bryan Singer are completely without merit,” the attorney said. “We are very confident that Bryan will be vindicated.”

Read more: http://variety.com/2014/film/news/x-men-director-accused-of-sexually-abusing-teenage-boy-1201158645/

[Prophet 451]

1. Have to wait and see

Might be true, might not. I shall wait and see.

[SoapBox]

2. Agreed.

The article is very "lurid".

[joshcryer]

4. Variety, unfortunately for Singer, wouldn't say this if they didn't have the facts.

This is really going to open up Hollywood's debauchery.

Corey Feldman in particular has been saying this shit for years.

edit: SORRY, not Haim, Feldman... RIP Haim.

[Prophet 451]

6. Well, the article just reports the accusation

And Singer, like anyone accused, has the right to be considered innocent until he is proven guilty. So, as I said, I'll wait until more facts come out.

[LordGlenconner]

45. Feldman wrote about it in his book in great detail

Which was actually pretty good.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

3. Umm. . .do you know how common this is? As a producer friend told me seven years ago

"In the business, there is no such thing as underage."

And there is no such thing as rape, sexual harassment or coercion.

[qazplm]

9. it may be very common

but my skepticism is raised somewhat when it isn't a criminal, but a civil case for money that is filed.

If it were both, or just criminal, then I'd say, let's see what we see. I still say that I suppose but the desire for money alone gives me greater pause.

[FarPoint]

10. The standard of protection for children can not be based upon the profession of assailant.

Be it a priest, a college football coach or Hollywood director.... Sexual Abuse of children is taboo and criminal.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

11. I know. . .let's just say it happes in The Biz alot and most of the children are cocered into

thinking it's acceptable by the old perverts that do it.

It is criminal. . .but no one is going to say shit about it in The Biz because the old pervs that run the show can destroy people without blinking an eye. Sociopathic, nihilistic pervs make our media.

[FarPoint]

13. We confronted the priest when it was said to be impossible.

Now is the time to change the Biz....

[closeupready]

18. So was slavery once. Doesn't matter. It's criminal and evil.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

19. Agreed, but don't be surprised if some of our liberal heroes partake in this kind of evil shit.

[Bosonic]

5. This will have some worrying/scurrying

For a preview see can'o'worms opened with Operation Yewtree

[Socal31]

7. As tough as it is, you shouldn't judge.

Until there is some evidence from police, or this gives more victims the courage to come forward and establish a pattern, I wont label him. Sickos rarely strike once, so the truth will come out.

[pipoman]

8. Of course I have no idea what happened

And support prosecution of victimizers. That said, the characterization of anyone under 18 as a "boy" or a 'child' is sometimes disingenuous.

[FarPoint]

12. I disagree with your analysis of "boy or child" under the age of 18 being disingenuous.

Such assumptions can invite sexual abuse when boundaries are blurred and moved through rationalization.

[Ash_F]

15. You have to draw the line somewhere, when it comes to the law. /nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

16. Call him a "minor." Accurate and without emotive connotations.

[AlbertCat]

20. Funny....

When I read the headline, my 1st thought was "I'll bet the "boy" was 17."

Yes, the law has to draw a line somewhere. So technically if someone is 17 and 11 months they are a minor...legally. But some 17 year olds are mature and knowing, and some 30 year olds are still children. Still...the law is the law. But circumstances must not be ignored completely.

We'll see, I guess.

[awoke_in_2003]

26. The word "forcibly" was used...

now, of course, we do not know the truth in this yet, but even if the person is 17 and 11 months old or 40, if it was forcible it was wrong.

[itsrobert]

27. not funny

Rape is not funny.

[AlbertCat]

39. Oh please....

Yeah.... I think it's hilarious!!!!


The word "funny" has more than one meaning.

Besides I don't know for sure that rape has been committed. Allegedly.... but not for sure.

It's that pesky "Innocent before proven guilty" thing y'know....

[BainsBane]

42. If the minor is below the age of consent

It is rape. Period. There is no such thing as consensual sex with a minor.

[LiberalArkie]

14. Egan's parents let him fly to Hawaii with an older man?

[Doctor_J]

31. on more than one occasion

This doesn't smell right

[SpankMe]

17. Sounds opportunistic to me

Not to minimize any sexual assault, but something smells fishy about this.

Doing the math from the news article, the victim was 17 at the time and director Singer was 33 or so. This isn't an outrageous age difference, and no rape accusations were reported at the time.

And now that California's 10-year statute of limitation on criminal prosecution has long expired, and Singer's a big, rich director, and we're within three weeks of the release of his X-men blockbuster movie, this civil suit comes out now? The timing is a bit much for me. Sounds like the victim is leveraging for a big payout. Didn't the victim have trauma three years ago, or ten years ago? Why now?

If anyone is truly suffering from being traumatized by sexual assault - then go for it with force. Rape is always a bad thing and must be dealt with...IF you're really suffering.

But, the timing of some of these suits is suspicious. It's possible that this could have been a consensual relationship between a horny 17 year old and a less-than-scrupulous adult as they both saw an opportunity to get their individual needs met (career advancement and sexual satisfaction).

If Egan isn't gay or bi-, then maybe they have a case. But, I'm suspicious.

Any sexual assault needs to be reported immediately, not 15 years after the fact after the SOL has run out.

[Exultant Democracy]

23. I agree with some of your points, however did you feel the same way about delayed reporting

when it was priests doing the alleged diddling?

[dsc]

29. His post makes clear it isn't only time

it is also the money involved. Also most of the people in the priest cases were much younger than 17 when the abuse occurred which makes a huge difference as well.

[LongTomH]

25. 17 and 33? Yes, that is an outrageous age difference!

It's really the difference between an adult and a child. The brain of a young person at 17 is still developing. Once upon a time, criminal courts actually realized this and treated juvenile defendants differently.

A young man at 17 may be mature or almost mature intellectually; but, emotionally, he still has a long way to go.

[Reter]

33. Luckily, the age of consent is 17 where I live

n/a

[LongTomH]

34. The point is, that a relation between a person in their 30s and a teenager is almost certainly......

.........exploitative on the part of the older individual; no matter what sex.

[itsrobert]

28. what? if you are gay you cant be rape?

What are you saying?

[BainsBane]

43. 'if you're really suffering"

It's a crime. You don't get to decide some violent crimes don't count if the victim doesn't meet your version of what "real suffering" is.


You say you're "suspicious" of the victim. Every single time a rape victim comes forward, people pounce on the person. They know nothing of the case but they can't wait to attribute ulterior motives or call the person a liar. When we see a report of a shooting or robbery, no one says "I'm suspicious" that the victim made it up. That pattern of doubting and blaming victims is a manifestation of rape culture and part of why so few rapists do any jail time. A sizable percentage of the population is raped, 25% of women and some 5% or more of men, but 100 percent of rape victims are attacked and disbelieved, while rapists operate with virtual impunity.

[JustAnotherGen]

44. There's just too much

That has surrounded this guy - going back to when he first became Harvey W's 'darling'. There's stuff out there going back to Apt Pupil. And there's been a few too many broken souls who have been around this man. I'm inclined to believe this now man (the exposer) - although by the law Mr. Singer is innocent until proven guilty.

Amy Berg is directing a documentary about this very seedy underbelly of Hollywood and Singer is included in it. She's been working on this for two years.

I don't think she'd touch it with a ten foot pole if it didn't have legs.

For those quick to defend - where are you on the Catholic Church's abusive history? Was Amy Berg good on this?

Deliver Us from Evil
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0814075/

Documentary about Father Oliver O'Grady, a Catholic priest who was relocated to various parishes around the United States during the 1970s in an attempt by the Catholic Church to cover up his rape of dozens of children.

How about West of Memphis?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2130321/

An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.

BB - She wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole unless she had her shit together. She just wouldn't.

[Tom Ripley]

21. Does this mean that Singer's next project will be a Batman & Robin remake?

[alp227]

32. what's that supposed to mean? nt

[Tom Ripley]

36. If he is actually going to name additional names next week...

the implication should be clearer.

[alp227]

37. I still don't understand. nt

[closeupready]

22. Maybe this wasn't rape-rape, as Whoopi characterized it.

[Xithras]

24. For those wondering why he isn't/hasn't been charged criminally.

In Hawaii, the age of sexual consent is 16, so he can't be charged under that states child molestation laws. Additionally, the maximum statute of limitations on sexual assault cases in 6 years in Hawaii, with a delay for those under 18 that stops the clock until the 18th birthday is reached. After that extension, the limitation was reached in 2006.

In California, the statute of limitations for non-aggravated rape (rape that does not involve a weapon or major bodily injury) is also six years. Aggravated rape charges have no statute of limitations in California, but can ONLY be filed if the prosecutor can prove that one of the "Aggravated" qualifiers exist...an impossible feat at this point without photos or a police report.

He could, theoretically, be charged under a federal law that makes it a crime to transport minors across state lines for sex, even when those states have ages of consent under 18. Unfortunately, that law ONLY applies if the minor was transported between states for the purpose of sexual contact. If they were transported across state lines for other purposes, and sexual contact later occurs (whether consensual or otherwise)...the law doesn't apply. It was written specifically to prevent people from taking teens to states with a lower age of consent for sex, and doesn't really apply beyond that. In order to convict under that law, simply proving sex or rape wouldn't be enough...the prosecution would have to prove that Singer took the boy to Hawaii in order to rape him. Again, we're talking about a nearly impossible feat at this late date.

In other words, criminal prosecution is not possible.

[Godhumor]

30. Considering the lawyer says he is bringing three more cases next week and naming names

I am very curious to see how this plays out.

[progressivebydesign]

41. or do you mean "Pays out" ??? n/t

[PoliticAverse]

35. Followup: AP: Man details abuse claims against 'X-Men' director

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_X_MEN_DIRECTOR_SEX_ABUSE_LAWSUIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-04-17-23-43-17

[closeupready]

38. I believe him. K&R

[progressivebydesign]

40. Curious.. 1999??

but from someone that grew up in Hollywood, there are lechers of every kind there, preying on teen minors of both genders. However, my street smarts from the time tell me that a 17 year old may have been flown to another location ONCE for something like that, but wouldn't have gone with him after that, if it was truly as it's being portrayed. Sadly too many minors in Hollywood will do all kinds of things willingly for drugs and alcohol, and the chance to socialize with older Hollywood types. Every day buses drop off more and more teens who run away to LA, and sell their souls or bodies for money and drugs.

The fact that the parents didn't question numerous trips to Hawaii, makes me think that the guy was emancipated at that point, or a runaway, perhaps.

1999? Now he wants money? I'm skeptical, I'm sorry. Flame away.