Depositions from Gwyneth Paltrow's children were read aloud in court by lawyers as she and plaintiff Terry Sanderson continue to litigate a 2016 ski collision.
Though Apple, 18, and Moses, 16, were "ready, willing and able" to testify in person Monday for the civil trial, according to attorney Stephen Owens, due to a time crunch and scheduling conflicts, the defense team instead opted to have transcripts of their previous depositions read aloud for the jury. Lawyers read portions of the transcripts verbatim on Tuesday to be admitted into evidence.
Moses — who was 9 at the time of his mom's Feb. 26, 2016, ski crash with retired doctor Sanderson, 76 — said in his questioning that he "did not see the actual collision" when it happened that day. Paltrow, 50, previously testified that she thought her son was to her left and slightly behind her, while daughter Apple, then 11, was further down the slope.
"When I skied over, I heard my mom yelling at the guy," Moses recalled of the immediate aftermath of the collision. "She was saying something along the lines of, 'What the F-word. You just ran into me.' " (Paltrow apologized in her testimony Friday for her "bad language" that day, adding, "I was pretty upset.")
Moses denied calling for his mom's attention while they were skiing, which the plaintiff's legal team suggested was why Paltrow was distracted in the moment they say she crashed into Sanderson.
Lawyers then read Apple's deposition aloud. She also said she "did not see" the collision happen but heard a woman's scream behind her. "I did hear some commotion but I was further down, so I decided to continue to go down to the lodge," she said. Apple also shared what Paltrow said to her when they rejoined each other after the collision.
At lunch, "My mom told me. She was very— she told us what happened. ... I noticed she looked a bit shocked, and I asked what had happened, and she said, 'This A-hole ran into me. He ran right into my back.' And I remember she did this motion saying he ran into her back and they both went down. I remember that's what she said."
"She was in a state of shock," said Apple. "She decided after that she was not going to ski for the rest of the day, which she never does; she always stays on. But she decided to get off because she was in shock and she was in a bit of pain. ... I never see her really shaken up like that. She was very clearly visibly upset, and she had some sort of pain."
Apple and Moses (whom Paltrow shares with ex-husband Chris Martin) were there that day at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, to have a mixer with Paltrow's then-boyfriend and now-husband Brad Falchuk and his two kids to see how their families blended.
Paltrow testified that it was a "significant trip for us." She added, "It was the first time Brad and I were introducing our kids and doing something together to see if we could blend families."
Paltrow is being sued by Sanderson for $300,000 in damages, claiming he sustained lasting injuries that impacted his quality of life when Paltrow allegedly crashed into him on the slopes. She, however, claims he crashed into her and that he's extorting her for her wealth and fame. She's countersuing for $1 and legal fees.
Sanderson first filed a lawsuit against Paltrow back in January 2019. At the time, he accused her of colliding with him from behind while skiing down a beginner-level slope alongside a ski instructor. He sought damages in excess of $3.1 million back then, and a rep for Paltrow said at the time, "This lawsuit is completely without merit. Anyone who reads the facts will realize that."
Jurors heard from the defense's expert witnesses and family members about how Sanderson experienced an "acute" decline in his health after the accident.
Sanderson's attorney Lawrence Buhler said in his opening statements that "distracted skiers cause crashes," as he alleged Paltrow was "blindly skiing down a mountain while looking up and to the side" before the crash occurred. "She knew what she was doing was dangerous. She knew she was reckless," Buhler added.
When Paltrow took the stand, as her lawyers asked her questions, she said she feels "very sorry" for Sanderson: "It seems like he's had a very difficult life. But I did not cause the accident, so I cannot be at fault for anything that subsequently happened to him."
It is unclear whether Falchuk, 52, will still testify in person. The jury will begin deliberations after closing statements on Thursday morning.
