ERIN Andrews has been awarded $55 million in her lawsuit against the owner of the Nashville hotel in which she was filmed while changing clothes in her room, the hotel's former management group and the man who did it and uploaded the footage to the Internet.
Andrews had asked for $75 million in her lawsuit over the 2008 incident, claiming ongoing emotional distress from the episode and the video's continued existence online.
The 37-year-old Fox Sports and ABC reporter was working for ESPN at the time, and she grew tearful at several points during her testimony, that of her father, when the jury was shown the video, in which she appears naked, and when the verdict was announced.
Her attorneys claimed the Nashville Marriott, owned by West End Hotel Partners, was negligent in allowing Michael David Barrett to learn of her room number and to rent his own room adjacent to it; the hotel is a franchise and the Marriott corporation was not part of the suit.
A jury of seven women and five men found Barrett, whose 2013 deposition in which he explained how he filmed Andrews was played in court, responsible for 51 percent and the hotel companies for the rest.
According to the Associated Press, several jurors hugged Andrews after the Monday verdict was announced and one appeared to be seeking her autograph.
Marriott's defense team had claimed that the video was good for the career of Andrews, who has gone from being a sideline reporter for ESPN to a studio host for Fox Sports and a co-host of the popular show, "Dancing With the Stars." They also argued that Barrett was solely responsible for what had happened.
On the stand, Andrews acknowledged that she had "done very well" in her career since the video went viral in 2009. But she also said that she has changed as a person, becoming more bitter and less trustful, and that she is constantly, and unhappily, reminded of the video's existence.
"This happens every day of my life," Andrews testified, while tearful.
"Either I get a tweet or somebody makes a comment in the paper or somebody sends me a still video to my Twitter or someone screams it at me in the stands and I'm right back to this. I feel so embarrassed and I am so ashamed."
Steven Andrews, her father, corroborated the reporter's description of herself. "She's scared," he told the jury last week.
"She's terrified. She's depressed. She cries. She's full of anxiety. She's a very, very changed person. She's not the girl that we used to know at all."
Marc Dedman, an attorney for the hotel, said that his team and his clients were disappointed in the verdict. He said that he was not sure if the Nashville Marriott or its ownership company would end up filing for bankruptcy.
Erin Andrews jury split damages between the stalker -- who went to jail over this -- and the hotel companies -- $28 and $26m respectively.
West End Hotel Partners released the following statement (via The Tennessean):
"West End Hotel Partners aims to provide and maintain safeguards throughout our properties, including the Nashville Marriott, to protect all of our guests, employees and customers. We regret the criminal acts which happened to Ms. Andrews during her stay in 2008 and the pain she has continued to endure.
"These acts Mr. Barrett committed serve as a reminder to the hotel industry to review safety and security procedures that ensure a first-rate experience to all guests. We are committed to providing a safe and hospitable environment for all of our guests and employees."
Barrett, a former Chicago-area insurance company executive, was convicted in 2009 of stalking Andrews and filming her in Nashville and in Columbus, Ohio. He served 20 months in prison, and was released in 2012.
In his taped deposition, Barrett claimed that he had come across Andrews while searching Yahoo for trending personalities, and that he had tried to sell the footage to TMZ before posting it online.
The jury heard Barrett say that he went to the hotel restaurant and used a house phone to ask to be connected to Andrews's room. When the hotel complied, he was able to see her room number displayed on the phone, and after ascertaining that there was an empty room next to hers, he went to the front desk and was able to book it.
"I'm not proud of what I did," Barrett said in his taped testimony (via the New York Post).
"I didn't like what I did."
The Washington Post
Tue Mar 08 2016
Sportscaster and television personality Erin Andrews walks to court on March 7, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. -AFP
'No one will win a trade war,' China says after Trump tariff threat
Donald Trump says he would impose the tariffs until China stops the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States.
What has caused Pakistan's deadly clashes between police and supporters of Imran Khan?
Topping the demands of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is the release of all its leaders, including Khan, who has been jailed on a series of corruption charges since August 2023.
One woman or girl killed every 10 minutes by intimate partner or family member - UN
The report highlights that "60 per cent of all female homicides" are committed by "people closely related to them".
Sweden urges Chinese ship to return for undersea cable investigation
Two subsea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged in less than 24 hours.
[COLUMNIST] Building more highways won’t solve traffic congestion - reducing demand will
It is clear that adding more lanes and highways doesn't work, because we are still attempting the same approach to solve the issue.
Hyundai to invest RM2.16 bil in Malaysia through strategic partnership with INOKOM
This investment includes efforts to upgrade INOKOM's existing assembly capacity to meet Hyundai's automotive needs.
‘C4Cinta’ sets record as highest-grossing Malaysian Tamil film
'C4Cinta', directed by young filmmaker Karthik Shamalan, has set a new benchmark in Malaysian Tamil cinema.
Man charged with mother's murder, storing body in freezer
The court denied bail and scheduled case mention on Feb 7 for the submission of forensic, autopsy, and chemist reports.
Abolition of examination in schools to reduce pressure on pupils - Fadhlina
The classroom assessment approach offers a much more interesting learning ecosystem, says Fadhlina Sidek.
Google, Meta urge Australia to delay bill on social media ban for children
Google and Meta says the government should wait for the results of an age-verification trial before going ahead.
Judge tosses Trump 2020 election case after prosecutors' request
It represents a big legal victory for Donald Trump, who won the Nov. 5 US election and is set to return to office on Jan. 20.
DHL plane crash in Lithuania leaves authorities searching for answers
Rescue services said the plane hit the ground, split into pieces and slid over 100 metres (110 yards).
National squad to hold friendly matches for 2025 Indoor Hockey World Cup
The warm-up matches will involve matches against better ranked teams in the world, namely Austria (first) and Belgium (third).
G7 seeks unity on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The United States, part of the G7, has rejected the ICC decision, with President Joe Biden describing it as outrageous.
Francissca Peter remembers Tan Sri Ahmad Nawab: A tribute to a musical legend
A legend who has influenced our music for decades, was one of the highlights of my career, says Francissca Peter.
TikTok decision coming soon as Jan. 19 divestment deadline looms
Judges are reviewing TikTok's challenge to a law requiring ByteDance to sell its US assets by Jan. 19 or face a ban.
Lebanese sources: Biden, Macron set to announce Israel-Hezbollah truce
In Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, "We're close" but "nothing is done until everything is done".
PM meets chaebol tycoon to attract more FDI to Malaysia
Chaebols are prominent figures from South Korea's family-owned conglomerates.
Govt won't allow non-citizen vehicles to enjoy RON95 subsidy - Economy Ministry
The implementation of the RON95 subsidy in 2025 is expected to provide savings of RM3.6 billion to government expenditure.
Ringgit opens lower as greenback gains ground
Dr Mohd Afzanizam says the market responded positively to news of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent heading the US Treasury Department.