Attorneys Request Venus Williams’ Cell Phone in Fatal Car Crash Case
Venus Williams‘ cell phone has become an object of interest in the wrongful death lawsuit filed against her by the family of Jerome Barson this past June.
According to new court documents filed Friday, Barson’s attorneys are requesting a forensic expert to examine the tennis champ’s phone to confirm what she might have been doing at the time of the crash.
“Evidence gathered thus far indicates [Williams] may have been distracted and or unnecessarily delayed in her reaction to applicable traffic signals and/or surrounding traffic,” the motion reads in part.
Surveillance video of Williams driving just moments before the accident show her left elbow resting on the door through an open window, though it is unclear whether she has a phone in her hands.
Barson’s attorneys previously made a motion in July asking to see Williams’ cell phone records to see if she may have been distracted at the time of the collision, but Williams has thus far not submitted them.
On June 9th, Williams was stopped in an intersection in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, when a Hyundai Accent driven by Barson’s wife Linda drove through a green light, smashing into the side of Williams’ car. Jerome, who was in the passenger side of the vehicle, was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center with injuries and eventually died on June 22nd.
The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department initially said Williams was at fault for the accident after violating the right of way, but security footage later revealed that she had entered the intersection legally on a green light, and only stopped due to stalled traffic ahead of her.
Williams’ attorney claimed that Jerome Barson was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, and that the Barsons’ car was not maintained up to legal standards, claims that Barson’s attorney has refuted, saying that Jerome was wearing a seat belt, and that the car was “in perfect working order.”