Gwyneth Paltrow takes the stand in Utah ski collision trial

Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow took the stand on Friday to testify in a trial over a 2016 ski crash at a Utah ski resort, where a man claims that the film star’s recklessness on the slope caused broken ribs, brain damage and lasting physical injuries. Paltrow testified that the crash shocked her – and she thought at first that she was being violated. “Two skis came between my skis, forcing my legs apart,” she said of the collision. “And there was a body pressing against me and a very strange grunting noise. My brain was trying to make sense of what was happening. I felt a body pressed against my back.” She later clarified on the stand that the collision was not a sexual violation. Paltrow and Terry Sanderson, the retired optometrist suing her, are both expected to answer questions about the crash while their lawyers jostle to convince the 8-member jury which skier was positioned downhill and had the right of way. The actor-turned-lifestyle influencer has previously said in depositions that Sanderson was responsible for the crash. Paltrow’s heavily anticipated testimony comes halfway into the trial and on the final afternoon Sanderson’s lawyers could compel her to testify. Throughout the week in Utah, her lawyers have asked for special restrictions, including limiting photography both in the courtroom and in the public car park outside – where a rope cordons off Paltrow’s entrance and exit paths. Her testimony could last longer than an hour and is expected to mirror what she said in a previous deposition about how she “froze” when the crash happened. Doctor casts doubt on medical experts’ testimony in Paltrow ski crash trial Next week, Paltrow’s team is expected to call to the stand medical experts, ski instructors and her two children, Moses and Apple. The trial has touched on themes ranging from skiing etiquette to the power – and burden – of celebrity. After the collision, Sanderson sent his daughters an email with the subject line: “I’m famous … At what cost?” One of the daughters wrote back: “I also can’t believe this is all on GoPro.” GoPro cameras are commonly worn by outdoor athletes and patrons of upscale ski resorts to capture action sports. Sanderson’s daughter, Shae Herath, testified on Friday that she did not know whether GoPro footage existed, despite her email. She said her father told her over the phone that he assumed there must be GoPro footage of the collision – from someone on the crowded run with a camera affixed to their helmet. “There was this big, blood curdling scream. Someone would’ve looked,” Herath said, recalling the conversation with her father about how Paltrow shrieked during their collision. While Sanderson’s lawyers have focused on their client’s deteriorating health, Paltrow’s legal team has intrigued the jury with recurring questions about the mysterious, missing GoPro footage. No video footage has since been located or entered as evidence. The trial has shone a spotlight on Park City, Utah – the posh ski town known for rolling out a red carpet for celebrities each January during the Sundance Film Festival – and skiers-only Deer Valley Resort, where Paltrow and Sanderson collided. The resort is among the most upscale in North America, known for sunny slopes, après-ski champagne yurts and luxury lodges. The proceedings have delved deep into the 76-year-old Sanderson’s medical history and personality changes, with lawyers questioning whether his deteriorating health and estranged relationships stemmed from the collision or natural process of ageing. After a judge threw out Sanderson’s earlier US$3.1 million lawsuit, Sanderson then claimed damages of “more than US$300,000”. Gwyneth Paltrow in court for ski crash at upscale US resort Paltrow has countersued for a symbolic US$1 and lawyers’ fees. The amount of money at stake for both sides pales in comparison to the typical legal costs of a multi-year lawsuit, private security detail and expert witness-heavy trial. Lawyers for Paltrow spent much of Thursday raising questions about Sanderson’s mentions of their client’s wealth and celebrity as well as what they called his “obsession” with the lawsuit. The first three days of the trial featured testimony from medical experts, Sanderson’s personal doctor, a ski companion and his daughter, who said she noticed post-concussion symptoms less than a year after the accident. Her lawyers on Thursday asked Sanderson’s daughter whether her father thought it was “cool” to collide with a celebrity like Paltrow, the Oscar-winning star of Shakespeare in Love and founder-CEO of lifestyle brand, Goop. Paltrow’s lawyers have cast doubt on Sanderson’s medical experts and suggested that the lawsuit could be an attempt to exploit her fame and celebrity.