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Michael Douglas Sued in Injury to
Caddy By GREG B. SMITH Daily News Staff Writer Friday, August 07, 1998 |
DAILY NEWS SCANDAL SHEET
Hollywood superstar Michael Douglas yesterday
denied a lawsuit claim that one of his golf shots permanently injured a caddy in
Westchester.
Douglas acknowledged he was in a foursome at the Elmwood Country Club on Oct. 20, 1997,
when a ball struck James Parker, 48, but said it wasn't his shot that hit the caddy.
Parker filed an $85 million personal injury suit in Manhattan Federal Court yesterday that
says he hasn't been able to work since that day.
The suit contends that Parker walked ahead of the foursome on the course so he could see
where the balls landed.
For eight holes, there was no problem. On the ninth, however, Parker said Douglas appeared
to be "restless" as the caddy went ahead. Parker contends that Douglas, without
yelling "Fore!" whacked a ball toward him.
As Parker turned, the ball struck his genitals, rupturing a testicle, which later had to
be removed, the suit says. Parker, who is black, says Douglas then stuffed $60 in his
pocket and used a racial epithet to refer to him.
Douglas, through his publicist Allen Burry, denied Parker's account.
"He's absolutely stunned that anybody would make anything more out of it and have him
hitting the ball," Burry said.
Burry said another member of the group, Mark Drach, hit the ball that struck Parker.
Burry also said that after the incident, "There were no negative comments by Michael
or anybody else," and that Douglas ran to Parker's aid.
In the lawsuit, Parker acknowledged that Drach said he hit the ball but characterized the
statement as a coverup.
Parker also contends that Douglas called him to see how he was doing after the injury, but
hung up when Parker told him of the seriousness of his wound.
Parker's lawyer, Christopher Thompson, said his client is certain Douglas hit the shot.
"He hasn't been able to work since this happened, and quite frankly he lost a
testicle," Thompson said. "He's got some real damages here."
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