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Rick Springfield answers questions from plaintiff's lawyer Kenneth Goldblatt before state Supreme Court Justice Anthony Paris, in this 2013 file photo. Springfield will be back on the stand this week.

(Douglass Dowty | ddowty@syracuse.com)

Syracuse, NY -- Rick Springfield, a 1980s pop icon and actor, is back in Syracuse today for the retrial of an injury lawsuit against him.

Vicki Calcagno, 45, of Liverpool, said Springfield struck her with his buttocks while performing in the crowd during a 2004 Chevrolet Court concert at the State Fair. She said she was knocked unconscious.

Jury selection began this morning in state Supreme Court Justice Anthony Paris' courtroom. Springfield and his lawyer, John Pfeifer, were in court this morning and Calcagno was absent. Calcagno's lawyer, Kenneth Goldblatt, said he instructed her that she didn't need to be in court for the jury selection.

Paris allowed media to film and take photos in the courtroom, but restricted media from capturing images of jurors or Calcagno for the remainder of the trial.

Springfield is best known for his hit "Jessie's Girl" and for starring on "General Hospital" in the early 1980s. The new trial is a retrial from Calcagno's 2007 lawsuit.

Calcagno claims that Springfield struck her while performing in the crowd during an Aug. 28, 2004 concert at Chevy Court. His buttocks caused "serious, disabling and permanent injuries," according to her 2007 lawsuit.

1980s pop icon Rick Springfield performing at the 2004 state fair, where a Liverpool woman claims he fell into the audience and injured her.

She claimed the incident left her disoriented or unconscious for at least 10 minutes, but her lawyer told jurors during the 2007 trial that it was probably less. In any event, Springfield's actions caused Calcagno serious and lasting injuries, she claimed.

Springfield testified that he did not remember injuring anyone during the concert.

The first trial ended abruptly Nov. 20, 2013 when Paris declared a mistrial due to new witnesses coming forward due to the media and social media attention to the trial.

Sarah Moses covers the northern suburbs of Onondaga County and Oswego

County. Contact Sarah at smoses@syracuse.com or 470-2298. Follow @SarahMoses315