Gwyneth Paltrow not at fault for ski collision, jury decides
CTV
Gwyneth Paltrow won her court battle over a 2016 ski collision at a posh Utah ski resort after a jury decided Thursday that the movie star wasn't at fault for the crash.
Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't to blame for a 2016 collision with a retired optometrist on a beginner run at a posh Utah ski resort during a family vacation, a jury decided Thursday following a live-streamed trial that became a pop culture fixation.
A jury awarded Paltrow US$1 -- a symbolic amount she asked for in order to show it wasn't about money -- and delivered her the vindication she sought when she opted to take it to trial rather than settle out of court.
"I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity," Paltrow said in a statement released by her representatives that she also posted as an Instagram story for her 8.3 million followers. She also thanked the judge and jury for their work.
As Paltrow left court she touched Terry Sanderson's shoulder and told him, "I wish you well," he told reporters outside court. He responded, "Thank you dear."
Paltrow's attorney, Steve Owens, added in a statement he read outside court that "Gwyneth has a history of advocating for what she believes in -- this situation was no different and she will continue to stand up for what is right."
Paltrow, an actor who in recent years has refashioned herself into a celebrity wellness entrepreneur, looked to her attorneys with a pursed lips smile when the judge read the eight-member jury's verdict in the Park City courtroom. She sat intently through two weeks of testimony in what became the biggest celebrity court case since actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard faced off last year.
After the verdict was read, the judge polled the jury, which was unanimous on the decision. In civil court in Utah, only three-fourths of jurors need to agree on a verdict. The attorney fees Paltrow asked for in her countersuit were not included in the jury's verdict, leaving the bulk of the final award for the Park City judge to decide.
