Bri
05-23-2002, 06:24 PM
Jury Sides With Bob Vila in Lawsuit
Thu May 23, 7:06 PM ET
By The Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. - A jury has rejected claims that home-improvement celebrity Bob Vila repeatedly kicked a woman's seat during a flight more than four years ago.
The woman, Carol Berger, said a possibly drunk Vila kicked the seat while she tried to sleep during a November 1997 United Airlines (news - web sites) flight from Denver to Eugene. She sought as much as $250,000 in damages for injuries to her lower back and mental anguish.
Vila, star of the TV series "Home Again," denied the accusation, saying he had no memories of Berger or a disagreement.
"These accusations are not trivial," he said on the witness stand Wednesday in U.S. District Court. "My character is out there. This is something that is absolutely unacceptable to me. Neither I nor my companion have any recollections of an incident taking place."
Asked whether he had tried to recall the flight, Vila said, "You better believe it. This has been going on for four years. You end up losing a lot of sleep over it."
Asked whether he had kicked Berger's seat, Vila said, "I have never kicked anybody. I have never struck anybody. I have never hit anybody in my life."
The eight-member jury deliberated for more than three hours. Vila, 55, then hustled out of the courthouse, chased by reporters.
Thu May 23, 7:06 PM ET
By The Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. - A jury has rejected claims that home-improvement celebrity Bob Vila repeatedly kicked a woman's seat during a flight more than four years ago.
The woman, Carol Berger, said a possibly drunk Vila kicked the seat while she tried to sleep during a November 1997 United Airlines (news - web sites) flight from Denver to Eugene. She sought as much as $250,000 in damages for injuries to her lower back and mental anguish.
Vila, star of the TV series "Home Again," denied the accusation, saying he had no memories of Berger or a disagreement.
"These accusations are not trivial," he said on the witness stand Wednesday in U.S. District Court. "My character is out there. This is something that is absolutely unacceptable to me. Neither I nor my companion have any recollections of an incident taking place."
Asked whether he had tried to recall the flight, Vila said, "You better believe it. This has been going on for four years. You end up losing a lot of sleep over it."
Asked whether he had kicked Berger's seat, Vila said, "I have never kicked anybody. I have never struck anybody. I have never hit anybody in my life."
The eight-member jury deliberated for more than three hours. Vila, 55, then hustled out of the courthouse, chased by reporters.