The incident became the focus of a jury trial on Tuesday in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court. Jurors have been asked to decide whether Deputy Harold "Skip" Curtis threw a woman down the theater steps or whether she slipped while lunging at him.

Vanessa Arnold claims Curtis violated her constitutional rights. The 5-foot-3-inch, 110-pound woman alleges she can no longer work, has vision problems, severe headaches and serious depression from being slammed onto the stairs by the much larger man.

Peter Stirba, Curtis' attorney, says the injuries were made up or exaggerated by a woman with psychological problems.

The incident occurred at a showing of ''Troy'' in the Provo Towne Centre Mall theater on May 23, 2004. Arnold, then 22, and friend Lorenzo Castillo were in the last row, while Curtis and his wife were one row ahead and a few seats closer to the middle.

S. Austin Johnson, Arnold's attorney, said Curtis got annoyed when he heard Castillo translating previews into Spanish and called Arnold "a bitch" several times.

When the movie ended, Curtis stood and stared at Arnold and Castillo, according to Johnson. He said Castillo told him he should apologize, but Curtis responded that the pair should pay for his and his wife's tickets.

Curtis allegedly pulled out his badge, told Castillo he was under arrest and grabbed his arm.

As Arnold was trying to tell Curtis he didn't need to apologize, the deputy grabbed her and threw her, Johnson said.

Stirba said Curtis tried to shush the two but denies he used bad language. When Castillo confronted Curtis with clenched fists, Stirba said, Curtis told Castillo he was under arrest and started walking him out of the theater. Stirba said Arnold then grabbed Curtis around the waist, where he claims he had a gun in a holster.

The deputy turned and Arnold fell, Stirba said. Curtis might have bumped her accidentally but did not push or throw her, he said.

Castillo was released by Curtis shortly after the incident and settled a lawsuit with the deputy out of court. Arnold's lawyer says she has almost $50,000 in medical expenses and could lose up to $400,000 in lifetime earnings.

pmanson@sltrib.com