Gwyneth Paltrow whispers four words in her accuser’s ear after court victory
Gwyneth Paltrow leaned over and whispered in accuser Terry Sanderson’s ear after winning her ski collision trial.
Paltrow left court victorious after a jury ruled in her favour following the trial in which retired optometrist Sanderson accused her of skiing into him at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, in 2016.
On Thursday jurors, who heard testimonies from Paltrow, Sanderson, family members and witnesses, reached their verdict after just over two hours of deliberation.
Sanderson, who said he was injured as a result of the collision with the Iron Man star, sought damages of $300,000 (£246,000).
Paltrow filed a counterclaim asking for her legal fees paid and damages of $1 (82p).
She was awarded compensatory damages of one dollar.
As she left the courtroom she touched Sanderson on the shoulder and whispered: “I wish you well”.
Sanderson told reporters outside court following the verdict that her words had been “very kind”.
“I said ‘thank you, dear’.”
Paltrow said she was “pleased with the outcome”, adding: “I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity...
“I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case.”
Sanderson had claimed that the star collided with him, “knocking him down hard, knocking him out, and causing a brain injury, four broken ribs and other serious injuries”.
During the trial, the mother-of-two denied any wrongdoing as she took the standard that she had been the “victim” of the crash.
The Oscar-winner also asserted that she was not “at fault” for Sanderson’s subsequent health decline as she had not caused the accident.
On Wednesday Sanderson indicated that he knew winning the case was unlikely, telling the court it was “very difficult” to sue a celebrity.
His lawyers previously suggested the jury award him damages of more than three million dollars in the case.
