David Copperfield returns to Las Vegas witness stand this week

Magician David Copperfield gestures as he takes the stand during his civil trial at the Regional Justice Center on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal @bizutesfaye)

Magician David Copperfield is scheduled to return to a Las Vegas courtroom this week to continue his testimony in a civil trial that centers on a slip and fall that occurred during one of his shows.

After escaping the witness stand for a three-day hiatus, the 61-year-old is expected to testify again as early as Tuesday about his “Lucky #13” or “13” illusion, in which a baker’s dozen of audience members appears to disappear from a floating platform onstage at Copperfield’s command.

Tourist Gavin Cox sued the magician, MGM Grand and others after he fell while volunteering for the trick at MGM Grand in November 2013. Cox’s lawyers could call their client to testify as early as Monday, they said.

During testimony last week, Copperfield said he was surprised when he learned that Cox was hurt.

Audience members were screened for about five minutes with at least seven tests — including how they navigate stairs, the stage and the seating area of the theater — before they were allowed to participate, Copperfield said.

Copperfield stopped performing the illusion about two years after Cox’s injury.

Cox, 58, slipped in an area of the resort that was under construction as stagehands with flashlights guided him offstage and into dark walkways.

A chef in England at the time, Cox had flown to Las Vegas for a birthday celebration and to see Copperfield perform. When Cox and his wife returned to Britain, he suffered from chronic pain, headaches and confusion, and a scan showed a lesion on his brain, his lawsuit contends.

District Judge Mark Denton closed the courtroom to the news media for more than an hour during portions of Copperfield’s testimony, to protect secrets of other illusions.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.