Gavin Cox and his wife, Minh-Hahn Cox, claimed that the multi-millionaire magician, the hotel, two Copperfield business entities and a construction company renovating the hotel caused permanent brain injuries to Cox when he fell while attending the bay. audience member.
In a complex verdict handed down in May 2018 after several weeks of testimony, the jury found Copperfield, Copperfield’s hotel and company, Backstage Disappearing Inc., negligent but not politically responsible for Cox’s fall.
Cox had asked for hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses and compensation, but jurors found him responsible for his own injuries and received no money.
The couple’s lawyer, Brian Harris, said on Friday that the court had overturned its decision, which was issued on Thursday, 5-2.
“If the majority shared the opposite view, our clients would consider a new trial,” Harris said. “We are disappointed that we will not have this opportunity.”
Five judges rejected Harris’s argument that the trial judge should not have allowed the hotel’s lawyers to show Cox’s watch videos of him walking with obvious ease in court with his dog tied up.
In the courtroom, jurors saw Cox help the witness stand next to his lawyer or court clerks. He testified that he needed help when he was not in court.
Copperfield’s illusion, dubbed “the runaround” by the directors, seemed to make up to 13 audience volunteers disappear on stage and reappear moments later in the back of the theater.
The jury heard that in less than 90 seconds, directors with flashlights led the audience off stage through dark curtains, downstairs, outdoors and then indoors through a kitchen to re-enter the theater for its finale. performance.
At trial, Cox’s lawyer told the court that hotel renovations had left construction dust to cover an alley the team was crossing.
