Rudy Giuliani faces a $148 million damages ruling in Washington, DC, after a jury determined he defamed former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
The jury deliberated for approximately 10 hours before determining the amount of compensatory and punitive damages owed to the plaintiffs, who accused Giuliani of destroying their reputations with false claims of election fraud, as per The New York Times.
Rudy Giuliani Faces $148 Million Verdict
In a ruling earlier this year, Judge Beryl A. Howell of the Federal District Court in Washington had already determined that Giuliani had defamed Freeman and Moss. In the trial, the primary objective was to ascertain the financial restitution for the damages resulting from Giuliani's unfounded allegations, which claimed that election workers had made an effort to unlawfully appropriate the 2020 election from Donald J. Trump.
Freeman and Moss, individuals who were actively involved as election workers for Fulton County during the previous presidential election, have taken legal action by filing a civil lawsuit against Giuliani. In a recent statement, the former mayor of New York City, who also served as Donald Trump's personal lawyer, made a false claim regarding their alleged involvement in a fake ballot processing scheme.
The jury awarded compensatory damages as follows:
$16,171,000 to Freeman for defamation
$16,998,000 to Moss for defamation
$20 million each, totaling $40 million, for emotional distress to both Freeman and Moss
$75 million in punitive damages
Despite facing a substantial verdict, Giuliani, in a defiant manner, maintained his position, pointing out that the threats against the women were "abominable." However, he persisted in standing by his unproven claims of voter fraud. In a determined stance outside the courthouse, he expressed his intention to challenge the ruling, emphasizing that the jury's awarded amount underscored the perceived "absurdity" of the entire legal process, according to CBS News.
Giuliani's Damaging Claims Unveiled
During the trial, Freeman and Moss testified about the terror they experienced after being falsely implicated in voter fraud. They described receiving racist threats and hate-filled messages, leading to significant disruptions in their lives. Freeman's small business closed, and she was forced to sell her house, while Moss missed out on job opportunities and was passed up for a promotion.
Giuliani, who did not take the stand in his defense, insisted that his statements about the election workers were true and blamed external sources for the harm inflicted on Freeman and Moss. His defense attorney, Joseph Sibley IV, argued that Giuliani's net worth was less than the damages sought by the plaintiffs and likened the potential award to the "civil equivalent of the death penalty."
The trial also delved into Giuliani's unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud, with the jury instructed to consider damages caused by his co-conspirators, including former President Donald Trump. The plaintiffs contended that injecting conspiracy theories into media accounts was part of the Trump legal team's plan to cast doubt on the 2020 election results.
As Giuliani's legal battles continue, the significant financial penalty imposed by the jury underscores the potential consequences of spreading false information that can harm individuals' lives and reputations, Washington Examiner reported.
