Keanu in Deep Doo-Doo

There is no spoon, but Keanu Reeves is on the hook for punitive damages if he loses a civil suit brought by a paparazzo

By Josh Grossberg May 05, 2008 7:35 PMTags
Keanu ReevesGregg DeGuire/WireImage.com

Keanu Reeves has just been sucked deeper into a legal matrix.

A Los Angeles judge today shot down a motion by Neo's alter ego to keep a paparazzo from seeking punitive damages for allegedly being dinged by the actor's Porsche.

"There's not a whisper of an accident here," Superior Court Justice Elizabeth Grimes said in her ruling.

Grimes stated that while shutterbug Alison Silva has yet to prove his case, it was too early to eliminate the option of punitive damages, particularly when a car is considered a deadly weapon under state law.

Punitive damages could substantially increase any payout Reeves would have to make, should he be found liable for purposely aiming his black 1996 Porsche 911 Cabrio at Silva last spring.

It will be up to a jury to figure it out, when the trial kicks off Oct. 27.