Keanu Trial Kicks Into High Gear

Jury is seated, opening statements begin in civil case brought by paparazzo who says Reeves hit him with his Porsche

Keanu Reeves' civil trial is starting to pick up speed.

After being grilled over Matrix plot points and what they think of paparazzi, a jury was seated and opening statements kicked off Monday afternoon in the negligence case brought by a photographer who claims Reeves dinged him with his Porsche last year while pulling out of a parking space in Palos Verdes, Calif.

After greeting jurors with a "Good morning," Reeves remained silent for the duration.

The star of the upcoming The Day the Earth Stood Still claims plaintiff Alison Silva was about 10 feet away and tripped over his own feet while angling for a shot of him. Silva, meanwhile, contends that Reeves blindly bumped into him because he was covering his face as Reeves backed out of his spot, leaving Silva with a severe wrist injury that required surgery and left him unable to work.

Both sides have acknowledged that Silva had a preexisting wrist condition, but his attorney, Joseph Farzam, says that it was made much worse by his run-in with Reeves.

Also in his opening remarks, Farzam told the court that evidence would show the movie star's head was down when he started to back out.

"Mr. Silva, during the course of that night, has told at least five different versions of what happened," countered Reeves' attorney, Alfred Gerisch, who said the story the shutterbug told to paramedics, police, doctors and attorneys changed depending on whom he was talking to.

Reeves could spend up to several hours on the stand when he's called to testify Tuesday. Both he and Silva are scheduled to testify.