Gwyneth Paltrow in court: Actor offers ‘treats’ to security amid skiing accident trial – National

Actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow is in the spotlight this week as she appears in court in a civil lawsuit over a skiing incident in 2016.

Paltrow, 50, was charged with causing serious injury to retired optometrist Terry Sanderson after she allegedly collided with him while skiing at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah.

Sanderson, 76, alleged that Paltrow skied on him, “knocking him down hard, knocking him out”. He claimed the collision caused “permanent head trauma, 4 broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life”. He claims that Paltrow left him collapsed on the slope and skied. He is suing Paltrow for over US$300,000.

Paltrow is denying any liability in the accident and is counter-suiting for $1 and attorney’s fees. She claims Sanderson was the one who hit her and is now suing to “exploit her fame and wealth”.

The trial is broadcast live by several outlets. Both parties have agreed that the trial will last eight days.

Paltrow and Sanderson are scheduled to testify on Friday.

Paltrow brings “treats to the ushers”

On Thursday, the Goop founder brought “treats” to law enforcement in the courtroom. Before the start of the day’s testimony, Paltrow’s attorney, Steve Owens, presented the goodies.

“My client’s private security wanted to bring some treats to the bailiffs for their help,” Owens told the judge. “So I wanted to do it transparently and see if there were any objections.”

Sanderson’s attorney, Lawrence Buhler, opposed the anomalous request.

Judge Kent Holmberg banned Paltrow and his people from handing out the treats in the courtroom.

“OK, there’s an objection so thank you, but no thank you,” Holmberg said, noting that either side could take the treats later if they decided to.

It’s unclear what type of treats Paltrow was offering.

Media coverage and cameras in the courtroom

Paltrow and his lawyers were clearly upset by the amount of media coverage surrounding the civil lawsuit. On Wednesday, the second day of court, Owens argued that a camera with a live video feed should not be pointed at Paltrow and his council table, in accordance with alleged decorum agreements.

“We have a new camera pointed directly at my client, right there on the right,” Owens told the judge.

Paltrow took off her glasses and remained stoic. Owens said photographers also swarmed Paltrow outside his car outside the courtroom the day before.

Holmberg acknowledged the camera “as a problem” and said the court would investigate the view diversion claim and adjust the proceedings accordingly. Holmberg did not rule on the photograph outside of the courtroom.

Paltrow argues Sanderson’s injuries are exaggerated

Paltrow and his lawyers claimed that Sanderson exaggerated his “traumatic” injuries to capitalize on Paltrow’s fame and status.

Psycho-neurologist Dr. Alina Fong, who is Sanderson’s witness, testified Thursday that Sanderson was diagnosed with persistent post-concussive symptoms (PCS) after the skiing incident. All of Sanderson’s medical witnesses have testified that his injuries are consistent with someone ramming him from behind.

Owens previously called Sanderson’s diagnosis and symptoms “total BS.”

Paltrow’s counsel said Sanderson was able to travel to 10 countries in the years following the skiing accident. They also complained that a separate witness for Sanderson, neuroradiology expert Dr Wendell Gibby, did not review Sanderson’s 2009 MRI which would have shown he had suffered previous brain damage.

“I’m famous… At what cost?”

On the same day as the accident between Paltrow and Sanderson, the retired optometrist wrote an email to his daughters with the subject “I’m famous.”

In a series of emails, one of Sanderson’s daughters, Shae Herath, hinted that the collision must have been filmed with a GoPro camera. Much of the trial focused on the existence of these GoPro images.

In its response to Sanderson, Herath testified Friday that it had changed the subject line of the email to “I’m famous… At what cost?”

She clarified during her testimony that Sanderson called her and told her there had been another skier on the hill with a GoPro – although she admitted her memory was “fuzzy” as she had suffered an injury to his ACL around the same time as his father. supposedly hurt. She said she had never seen GoPro footage of the crash and wasn’t sure it existed.

Sanderson’s Changing Personality

Herath testified that his father’s personality worsened as a result of the alleged brain injury.

She claimed the trauma left Sanderson frustrated, easily distracted and unable to multi-task as before. She recalled an incident where Sanderson allegedly “put down” her own young daughter, her granddaughter, to the point of crying over the commotion surrounding a van door closing.

“He damaged his relationship with her because he was so horrible to her,” she said.

Herath claimed the behavior was “unusual” from Sanderson before his crash.

Mark Herath, Sanderson’s son-in-law, also said Friday that Sanderson’s personality changed after the skiing incident. He claimed Sanderson was hostile, paranoid and difficult to be around.

Polly Sanderson, Sanderson’s other daughter, testified earlier in the week. She was questioned by Owens about an incident which allegedly saw Sanderson punch a man he believed was having an affair with his ex-wife. Polly said she had no recollection of the incident.

After a brief pause, Owens apologized for “being an ass” to Polly. He said, “It was wrong for me to triangulate you, your father and your sister and your mother, and I beg your pardon.”

Paltrow’s Jeffrey Dahmer glasses

Much of the online reaction to the Sanderson v. Paltrow lawsuit has surrounded Paltrow’s fashion choices.

From the first moments Paltrow appeared in court on Tuesday, social media has been flooded with comments about his “Jeffrey Dahmer glasses.”

Although currently fashionable, the slim gold wire frames, complete with a full brow bar, bear a striking resemblance to the pair worn by Dahmer, an infamous American serial killer.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates.