[Watch the live feed in the player above this article when court begins at 9:15am PT/12:15pm ET.]
Court continues Wednesday in the civil trial against magician David Copperfield (born David S. Kotkin). Former fan Gavin Cox is suing him over a fall during a disappearing trick in 2013.
The plaintiff said he was randomly chosen to participate with 12 other people at Copperfield’s show at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. A self-described super-fan, Cox claimed he and the others were rushed through a dark area, where he slipped and fell. He blamed the magician, hotel, and construction crew for allowing the area to collect dust and debris. The defendants should have warned audience members about the possible dangers of getting involved, he argued in his complaint.
During opening statements on Friday, MGM’s lawyer Jerry Popovich said Cox fell because he missed a step, not due to any negligence by the defense.
This case caught a lot of attention because secrets about the Copperfield trick could be revealed through testimony. He is expected to take the stand, possibly on Wednesday. Citing the desire to protect trade secrets, his legal team wants to stop cameras from recording his testimony.
Defense attorneys want David Copperfield’s testimony closed due to trade secrets. @News3LV pic.twitter.com/CAysMjO14m
— Antonio Castelan (@AntonioNews3LV) April 13, 2018
Copperfield’s friend and colleague Chris Kenner took the stand. As Executive Producer of Backstage Employment, he is a technical manager for the show. Plaintiff attorney Benedict Morelli questioned him on how audience members are picked for the trick, which is called “Lucky 13.” Kenner was also questioned on where audience participants walked during the trick. He said if there was construction dust on the route, it would have been considered a safety hazard. Participants don’t have to be world-class athletes for the illusion, but they cannot have physical disabilities or be pregnant, he testified. Asked how many steps audience members walk up for “Lucky 13,” he said four.
[Screengrab via KTNV]
