Gwyneth Paltrow was seen touching Terry Sanderson’s shoulder, whispering a few words, before triumphantly leaving court after winning a case against the retired optometrist who claimed she had caused a ski collision in 2016.
Jurors found 76-year-old Sanderson to blame for the crash seven years ago after a two-hour, twenty-minute deliberation on Thursday.
As Paltrow left court, she was seen touching Sanderson’s shoulder and reportedly said, “I wish you well,” Sanderson told reporters outside the courthouse. He said he replied, “Thank you sweetie.”
The win comes after eight days of live-streamed courtroom testimony that drew global audiences and became a pop culture fix and saw Paltrow and Sanderson portray a much more strained relationship — the 76-year-old previously compared her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Gwyneth Paltrow was spotted touching Terry Sanderson’s shoulder, whispering a few words, before triumphantly leaving court after winning a case against the retired optometrist who claimed she had caused a ski collision in 2016
Jurors found 76-year-old Sanderson to blame for the crash seven years ago after a two-hour, twenty-minute deliberation on Thursday
Paltrow’s tense expression softened and she gave her lawyers a faint smile as the judge read the verdict in the Park City courtroom.
The actress smiled and waved to photographers as she left court, but declined to comment.
Paltrow’s lawyer read a statement from the actress outside of court.
Owens said: ‘We are pleased with the outcome and appreciate the consideration of the judge and jury. Gwyneth has a history of standing up for what’s right and this situation is no different. She will continue to stand up for what is right.”
A statement was released by her representatives.
“I felt that resigning myself to a false statement compromised my integrity,” Paltrow said. “I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case.”
As Paltrow left court, she was seen touching Sanderson’s shoulder and reportedly said, “I wish you well,” Sanderson told reporters outside the courthouse. He said he responded, “Thank you sweetheart”
The actress smiled and waved to photographers as she left court
Meanwhile, a deflated Sanderson said he’s sticking to his version despite losing the case
Meanwhile, a deflated Sanderson said he’s sticking to his version of events despite losing the case.
When asked what he plans to do next, he joked, “Maybe Disneyland!”
Sanderson’s attorney, Kristin Van Orman, said out of court that she was not impressed with Paltrow, adding, “I’ve been a lawyer for 30 years and juries never amaze me.”
Of Sanderson, she added, “He’s suffering, he’s a very nice man.”
The dismissal concludes two weeks of courtroom proceedings that depended largely on reputation rather than the monetary damages at stake in the case.
Paltrow’s lawyers described the complaint against her as “utter BS,” portraying the Goop founder-CEO as uniquely vulnerable to unfair, frivolous lawsuits because of her celebrity.
Paltrow took the witness stand during the trial to insist that the collision was not her fault, and to describe how she was stunned when she felt “a body pressing against me and a very strange growling noise.”
Sanderson described on the stand that Paltrow punched him in the back, sending him into the air
While father-of-three Sanderson says the actress skied into him while she let out what he described as “the best hysterical scream you’ve ever heard,” Paltrow says he crashed into her, losing half a day of skiing.
During his testimony on Wednesday, he drew a wild comparison between Paltrow and Epstein, saying she should be held “responsible” for the crash.
“I’m like, what’s going on here? This is clearly an issue that someone has to be responsible for, and if they are never responsible, what are they going to do? They’re going to do it again,” he began.
“Now we have the… island assault of young children,” he said, referring to Epstein’s infamous “pedophile island” in the Caribbean, where he trafficked and sexually assaulted dozens of girls.
A stunned Paltrow looked at her attorney who called Sanderson’s testimony “ridiculous.”
The judge then told the jury to ignore Sanderson’s words.
Paltrow’s account of the clash with Terry Sanderson was shown in an animated reconstruction, as the defense claims he was actually the one who hit the actress from behind
Sanderson filed for damages in January 2019 – initially seeking $3.1 million. The amount was reduced by a judge to $300,000 as compensation for the injuries he sustained.
Paltrow then filed a countersuit asking for a token $1 and to cover her legal fees.
Sanderson’s lawyers tried to portray their client as lively and active before the accident, but who changed significantly afterwards.
He claims she hit him in the back with such force that he was left with “permanent traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of joy, emotional distress and disfigurement.”
Sanderson told the court, “I just remember everything was great and then I heard something I’ve never heard in a ski resort before, and that was a bloodcurdling scream.”
“And then, boom, it was like someone got out of control and crashed into a tree and died. That’s what I [remembered] until I got hit.’
Gwyneth Paltrow (far right) reacts during closing arguments in her ski crash trial Thursday when Terry Sanderson’s lawyer (center) told the jury her version of the story was wrong
“I was hit so hard in the back… right on my shoulder blades, and the fists and the sticks were right at the bottom of my shoulder blades, serious, serious blow,” he added. “Never been hit so hard.”
In his complaint, Sanderson argued that Paltrow “got up, turned and skied off” without calling for help, leaving him “stunned, lying in the snow, seriously injured.”
Paltrow and her team said their ski instructor was on site and assisted Sanderson.
Paltrow’s team argued that Sanderson’s decline, while very sad, was unrelated to the accident and indicated previous medical problems.
They also highlighted that Sanderson’s daughter, Jenny, said her relationship with her father was difficult for many years.
And they repeatedly noted that Sanderson had emailed his daughters saying, “I’m famous.”
Paltrow looks at Sanderson in bewilderment before looking at her attorney who called the testimony “ridiculous.” The judge then told the jury to ignore Sanderson’s words
Paltrow testified in court that Sanderson approached her from behind and their skis became entangled
The public followed the global celebrity trial as if it were episodic television.
Viewers studied the motives of both Paltrow and Sanderson, while lawyers questioned witnesses who often had less to do with the collision and more to do with their client’s reputation.
The trial took place in Park City, a beach town known for the annual Sundance Film Festival, where Paltrow would appear early in her career for the premieres of her films, including 1998’s “Sliding Doors,” at a time when she was primarily known as an actor, not a lifestyle influencer.
Paltrow is also known for her roles in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and the ‘Iron Man’ movies.