David Copperfield Had To Reveal The Secret To His Vanishing Act In Court

Renowned magician David Copperfield has no choice but to giveaway the secret on his vanishing act during his court appearance.

Infamous illusionist Copperfield, known for his "Lucky No.13" magic trick, faced the court and was interrogated due to a 2013 incident wherein a man, Gavin Cox, got injured as he participated in the act. The trick involves the magician choosing 13 people from his audience, hence the name, and then making them disappear.

The accuser's lawyer, Benedict Morelli, grilled Copperfield during his appearance, saying it was his team's responsibility to provide a safe environment for the show's audience. When asked if he felt that the passageway, or any portion of it, was unsafe, the man in question disagreed.

"If somebody participated in the 13 illusion, and they were injured, it's their fault, not yours, yes or no?" the lawyer asked.

Copperfield didn't outright answer the question, and said it would depend on the circumstance. He also washed his hands on the said incident, saying, "If I did something wrong, it would be my fault."

Secret To The Act

A magician never tells his secret, as far as anyone knows, but Copperfield and his executive producer Chris Kenner were left with nothing but to reveal the secret. Kenner narrated that the 13 chosen audience will sit on stage, and then the illusionist will say some of his lines.

After which, a curtain will cover the guests, and then the guests will disappear. Of course, this gets done with the help of the team. Then, as Copperfield reveals that the group had vanished, the audience will ultimately feel it's magic. Little did the audience know that the chosen people were led to a passageway that will take them to the back.

After the fanfare, Copperfield will ask his audience to look at the back, which will then show the 13 who "mysteriously" disappeared. The trick has been a fave for the fans of the 61-year-old, but an incident gone wrong changed the fate for the magician.

2013 Incident

In a 2013 MGM Grand show, Cox, who was a former chef for the royal family, claimed he met an accident while on the passageway, which led him to sustain body and brain injuries. He said that the place was filled with debris and dust, which made it hard for him and the others to move around.

The accuser claimed his hospital bills ballooned to $400,000 and asserted some of his injuries would affect him for life.