What to know about Rudy Giuliani’s defamation trial
- The jury delivered its verdict Friday afternoon in Rudy Giuliani's civil defamation trial related to false claims he made about two former election workers in Georgia.
- Jurors awarded the plaintiffs, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, $148.17 million total in damages.
- Freeman and Moss asked for at least $24 million each for Giuliani's defamatory statements about them following the 2020 presidential contest when he baselessly accused them of election fraud. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, who is overseeing the trial, ruled this year that Giuliani defamed the two women with his remarks.
- Trial testimony this week lasted four days. Giuliani reversed course yesterday and said he would not take the stand in his defense, despite saying earlier that his testimony would make "definitively clear" that what he said about Freeman and Moss "was true."
- The jury began deliberating yesterday afternoon following closing arguments in the case.
Giuliani calls verdict amount an 'absurdity'
In a written statement, Giuliani referred to the verdict's amount as an "absurdity" and reiterated his intention to appeal the judgment.
“The absurdity of the amount is indicative of the absurdity and unfairness of the entire proceeding," he said in the statement. “It bore no resemblance to a trial in a country with the rule of law. I wasn’t able to offer any evidence in my defense. We’ll have more to say and look forward to the appeal.”
Giuliani maintains his comments about election workers 'are supportable'
Giuliani told reporters outside of the courtroom this evening that the comments he made about Moss and Freeman in the wake of the 2020 presidential election are "supportable."
"I have no doubt, I have no doubt that my comments were made, and they were supportable and are supportable today," Giuliani said when asked if he still believed the comments he made about the women were truthful.
"I just did not have an opportunity to present the evidence that we offered," he added.
Moss and Freeman 'thankful' for verdict
In remarks outside the courtroom, Moss and Freeman expressed their gratitude for the verdict, while adding that Giuliani's false claims had impacted all aspects of their lives.
"The flame that Giuliani lit with those lies and passed to so many others to keep that flame blazing changed every aspect of our lives, our homes, our family, our work, our sense of safety, our mental health," Moss said.
Our greatest wish, Moss added, is that no election worker "ever experiences anything like what we went through."
"You all matter, and you are all important. We hope no one ever has to fight so hard just to get your name back," she said.
Freeman suggested that others who joined Giuliani in promoting lies about them needed to be held accountable.
"A jury stood witness to what Rudy Giuliani did to me and my daughter and held him accountable and for that I'm thankful," Freeman said. "Today is not the end of the road. We still have work to do. Rudy Giuliani was not the only one who spread lies about us, and others must be held accountable, too."
Moss and Freeman hug attorneys after verdict
Before the verdict was handed out, Freeman hugged attorney Meryl Governski, who had questioned her during the direct examination this week. Governski hugged Freeman tight and patted her on the back.
Giuliani did not look up from his iPad when the dollar amounts were read. There was an audible gasp in the courtroom when the $75 million in punitive damages was read.
After Howell dismissed the court, Moss and Freeman took turns hugging each of their attorneys. Giuliani, meanwhile, stood alone and put his belongings in a bag without looking up.
Giuliani tries to distance himself from threats to the defendants
Asked by a reporter if he has any regrets over the comments the defendants received, Giuliani replied: "Of course."
Then, he went on to defend himself. "Of course. The comments they received I had nothing to do with," Giuliani said. "Those comments are abominable, they're deplorable."
He added that he receives "comments like that every day."
Outside courthouse, Giuliani says he will appeal the verdict
Giuliani told reporters outside the courthouse that he intends to appeal the jury's decision.
He insisted that when his case reaches a "fair tribunal," the award to the plaintiffs will be reversed "so quickly it'll make your head spin."
Asked why he didn't end up taking the stand to testify in his own defense, Giuliani said that he believed the judge was "threatening" him with "the strong possibility that I'd be held in contempt" or jailed.
Court adjourned
The court adjourned immediately after the jury delivered its verdict.
Breaking down the whopping $148 million verdict
The jury award to Freeman and Moss came in three different categories, with one relatively minor difference between the amounts to the mother and daughter.
Both were awarded a total $20 million each for emotional distress and a total of $75 million in punitive damages. Freeman was awarded $16,171,000 for the defamation claims, while Moss was awarded $16,998,000.
Jury hits Giuliani with $148 million verdict
The jury awarded Freeman and Moss a total of $148 million in damages.
Their attorney, Michael Gottlieb, had urged the jurors to return a verdict of at least $24 million each for the mother and daughter. Giuliani’s attorney did not recommend a specific figure, but told the jury it should be for less than the amount the plaintiffs were seeking.
Verdict reached in Giuliani defamation case
The jury has returned a note saying it has reached a verdict on damages, the judge told the courtroom.
The verdict is expected to be read shortly.
