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# smackdown
Hulk Hogan awarded $115 million after sex tape trial
The jury found against Gawker Media.
A JURY HAS awarded Hulk Hogan $115 million after his court case against Gawker Media.
Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, sued Gawker for posting the edited video showing him having sex with his then-best friend’s wife.
The former wrestler has said he didn’t know he was being filmed when the video was made.
Gawker’s editors contended the video and an accompanying post was a newsworthy commentary on the ordinariness of celebrity sex videos.
The jury sided with Hogan and awarded him $55 million in economic injuries and $60 million for emotional distress.
Just moments after the verdict, Gawker founder Nick Denton said he will appeal, based on evidence that wasn’t introduced in court.
Given the key evidence and the most important witness in this case were withheld from the jury, we all knew the appeals court would need to resolve this case.
Hogan’s team issued a statement as well:
We’re exceptionally happy with the verdict. We think it represents a statement as to the public’s disgust with the invasion of privacy disguised as journalism. The verdict says no more.
