Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews broke down in tears when jurors announced the verdict. Her stalker, Michael David Barrett, and Nashville Marriott owner West End Hotel Partners and former operator Windsor Capital Group, were found guilty for their negligence in the popular sports media personality being videotaped naked through a peephole while staying at the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University in 2008.
The jury awarded Andrews 55 million dollars. Barrett was found to be 51% at fault, and ordered to pay more than $28 million for his role in the incident. The hotel group were 49% at fault, and forced to pay more than $26 million.
The owners of the Tennessee hotel had argued that Barrett was solely to blame for the crime. Andrews, however, maintained that someone affiliated with the hotel gave out her room number to Barrett and placed him near her. Barrett was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after admitting to stalking Andrews, altering hotel room peepholes and taking nude videos of her.
During the early days of the trial Andrews testified that she suffers from depression as a result of the video, which she said she knows people are still watching. She also shared how hurt she was by ESPN not allowing her to return to work until she publicly discussed the incident and how multiple media outlets accused her of leaking the video as a publicity stunt, causing further damage to her reputation.
“This happens every day of my life,” Andrews said. “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.”
Andrews’ father Steve also testified at the trial, and said she hasn’t been the same since the incident occurred.
“She’s afraid. She’s afraid of crowds, afraid of people. She doesn’t trust anymore,” Andrews said about his daughter.
Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
