Actor Robert De Niro’s ex-top assistant cites courtroom outburst as an example of his abusive side

NEW YORK – A girl who served as actor Robert De Niro’s leader non-public assistant for over a decade started attesting at an ordeal in opposition to him on Thursday, mentioning his indignant outburst at her all the way through his testimony two days previous as an example of his discriminatory mistreatment of her.

Graham Chase Robinson started her flip at the witness stand past due within the day in Manhattan federal courtroom as a jury hears proof associated with civil claims De Niro and Robinson have made in opposition to every different. De Niro, referenced most commonly as “Bob” in courtroom, has now not returned to courtroom since his testimony concluded Tuesday.

Robinson sued the two-time Oscar winner for gender discrimination and retaliation, in quest of $12 million in damages. De Niro sued her for breach of loyalty and fiduciary accountability, in quest of $6 million and pronouncing she stole 5 million air mile issues from an account his kids from time to time use when he had best anticipated her to take 1 million or 2 million.

On Tuesday the actor, indignant at claims casting him as abusive and sexist, flashed his mood as he scolded Robinson, shouting, “Shame on you, Chase Robinson!” He temporarily apologized.

Asked Thursday by way of her attorney how not unusual it was once for De Niro to lash out angrily, Robinson remided the jury of that outburst.

“He yelled at me two days ago,” Robinson mentioned.

She testified for roughly a part hour and was once anticipated to spend all day Friday at the witness stand.

She adopted testimony from Tiffany Chen, De Niro’s female friend, who had repeaded clashes with Robinson in 2019 as Robinson labored on a newly bought townhouse the place the couple deliberate to live, precipitating Robinson’s resignation from one of De Niro’s corporations, Canal Productions.

Robinson, 41, had labored there since 2008 as her name modified from government assistant to vice chairman of manufacturing and finance and her wage rose from more or less $75,000 to $300,000. De Niro testified that he granted the name exchange at Robinson’s request however her process tasks did not exchange.

Chen instructed De Niro in a sequence of emails proven to the jury that she idea Robinson was once having “imaginary intimacy” with him and was once a “mean, insecure, territorial girl” who “thinks she’s your wife” and “wants to be the lady of the house.”

Questioned in regards to the emails, Chen didn’t back off, pronouncing, “She’s crazy.”

Seeking to counter Chen’s ideas that Robinson wanted for a romantic courting with De Niro, a attorney requested Robinson in a while after she started attesting if she was once drawn to him. She mentioned no, and likewise denied ever short of to reside with, marry or have a kid with the actor.

Robinson additionally testified that she was once anticipated to respond to what become identified as the “bat phone” at any hour when De Niro known as and he would aggressively inquire about it if she didn’t.

She denied earlier testimony by way of De Niro that he best known as her all the way through “civilized hours.” Robinson mentioned they talked by way of telephone 5 to ten occasions an afternoon when she labored for him, with the primary name normally happening between 5:30 a.m. and seven:30 a.m. and the final usually between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

She mentioned he was once so tough about her being to be had that she all the time carried her telephone when she went to the restroom and have shyed away from spaces with out cellular carrier.

Robinson mentioned De Niro would name her although she instructed him she was once now not to be had for a duration of time, such as when she accompanied her mom to the emergency room or when she attended her grandmother’s funeral.

Once when she took a pal’s daughter out for her twenty first birthday, Robinson recalled, De Niro known as her later that night and requested her to convey him a martini from the eating place.

She mentioned she met him downstairs to provide him the drink — “He was in his pajamas and slippers” — and he known as her once more later that night time, at 1 a.m.