Kidman Takes Stand Against Paparazzo
by Gina Serpe
Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:21:28 AM PST
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Nicole Kidman has had her day in court.

The Oscar-winning actress took to the stand Monday in the defamation
trial of an Australian paparazzo who has aggressively pursued her
over the years.

The case was brought by the cameraman against a Sydney newspaper that
he claims tarnished his image by referring to him as the city's "most
inventive and disliked freelance photographer" and as
someone "determined to wreak havoc on Kidman's private life."

Kidman was called as a witness by Fairfax Media, which publishes the
Sun-Herald, to establish that the descriptions of shutterbug Jamie
Fawcett weren't so much defamation as accurate accounts of his
reputation.

"I have been pursued many times," the 40-year-old star said. "I have
had this happen in relation to this particular man...so many times."

During her 45-minute testimony at the New South Wales Supreme Court,
Kidman spoke of years spent being shadowed by Fawcett, including one
particularly harrowing chase that left her crouched in the backseat
of a car while en route to her parents' home on Jan. 23, 2005, an
episode that left her "really, really scared."

"[The driver] said they were driving crazy and that they had run red
lights and jumped the median strip," Kidman said of Fawcett and
another car, full of "people he employs," that had given chase to her
vehicle. "I was frightened, and I was worried about a car accident."

She said that by the time she had reached her parents' house, she
was "in tears and distressed."

It was earlier that morning that staff at her Sydney harborside home
had discovered a listening device planted in the bushes outside her
gate, something she alleged at the time had been placed by Fawcett.
While on the witness stand, Kidman called the discovery "deeply
disturbing."

"I employ people to protect me now," she said. "I employ people 24
hours to protect myself, because I don't feel equipped to handle
things."

The actress described how it was not just on her home turf that she
was subjected to living under Fawcett's lens, testifying that he also
followed her and husband Keith Urban on their honeymoon to Tahiti
last year. She also spoke of a third privacy-busting encounter with
the lensman shortly after Christmas in Sydney last year.

Last week, Kidman's father, Dr. Antony Kidman, testified in the case,
saying his daughter was "highly anxious" when she arrived at his home
the night of the car chase and that there had "almost been an
accident," but the star's driver was forced to jump a curb to avoid a
collision.

Kidman's father also said on the stand that Nicole told him she was
concerned about traveling in a car with her children, 14-year-old
Isabella and 12-year-old Connor, if Fawcett was in pursuit.

A jury has already found that the paper defamed Fawcett in the
article. The Kidmans' testimony is being used by the publisher to
establish whether some of the defamatory claims printed in the story
hold up and how much, if any, damages they are liable to pay.
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