14 DAY TRIAL // In September 2008, Fox Sports sportscaster Erin Andrews found herself dragged into a huge celebrity scandal when footage of her undressing in a hotel room started making the rounds. It had been obtained through a peephole in her door at the Nashville Marriott.
Michael David Barrett was arrested for shooting the footage of Andrews in the privacy of her own room, but 4 years later, she sued the hotel for negligence, which led to her privacy violation. In court papers filed yesterday, she put a price on the damages she wants a judge to award her.
Erin Andrews wants $75 million (€66 million) from Marriott
In the previous court hearing before the filing, defense attorneys asked the judge to get Andrews to name a figure for the damages she was seeking with the lawsuit, The Smoking Gun reports.
The other day, she filed the amended complaint, which also includes an actual figure - and it’s something so unexpected that celebrity pundits believe she’s making a fool of herself in the ongoing proceedings.
Erin Andrews wants $75 million (€66 million) from Marriott on the grounds that, had it not been for staff negligence, her privacy wouldn’t have been violated the way it was. First off, staff disclosed to Barrett that she was staying at the hotel, which would have never happened.
Secondly, not only they confirmed for him that she was there, but they told him her room number and even made sure they gave in to his request of providing her with the room next to hers.
Had they been more professional in their interactions with Barrett, he would have never had the chance to shoot the footage of her nude through the peephole, which was later uploaded online.
Severe emotional distress
Barrett uploaded the footage of Andrews online, which triggered an FBI probe that eventually ended in his arrest. He pleaded guilty to felony stalking in December 2009 and was sentenced to 30 months behind bars.
He is also named in Andrews’ lawsuit against Marriott.
The case goes to trial in late February, and attorneys for the sportscaster (and Dancing With the Stars co-host) believe that it will be over in 10 days, give or take. They’re also bringing in witnesses who can vouch that the emotional distress Andrews suffered when the illicit videos popped up online was crippling, which would justify the huge amount she’s asking in damages.