Gwyneth Paltrow testified in her ski injury trial she initially thought the man whom she says came up from behind her and collided with her was committing a sexual assault.
Paltrow is on the stand, and gave the jury her account of the accident on a Deer Valley ski slope. She said she was going slowly when suddenly, she heard “a strange rustling noise” behind her.
She says the skier — Dr. Terry Sanderson — came up from behind and his skis went in between her legs, with his body pressing into her back. Gwyneth said she froze and got upset.
During her deposition, Gwyneth testified she thought she was being sexually assaulted, and Sanderson’s lawyer picked up on that in court, asking “Did you know if it was an intentional assault of a sexual nature? Was he grinding or thrusting? What made you think it was a sexual assault?”
She answered, “It was a quick thought that went through my head. There was a strange grunting noise and a body behind me so I was trying to make sense of what was going on. My mind was going very quickly.”
The lawyer then got specific … “You said you went to the right and went crashing down together and your bodies were almost spooning and your knees splayed opened and you were in shock?” She answered, “Yes.”
Sanderson’s lawyer asked if Gwyneth would act out her description in court. Gwyneth’s lawyer objected and after a bench conference, the idea was nixed.
