The six person jury – four women and two men – didn’t take long to deliberate on the outcome of the Hulk Hogan vs Gawker trial and found Gawker guilty and awarded Hogan a total of $115 million yesterday, $15 million more than Hogan originally sued for.
When the verdict was read, the former WWE and WCW champion burst into tears, capping off a two-week intense trial with many expert witnesses who testified for both sides of the camp.
“Mr. Bollea is exceptionally happy. This is not only his victory today, but also anyone else who’s been victimized by tabloid journalism,” said his lawyer David Houston said outside the courtroom. Hogan did not utter a word to journalists.
The decision still doesn’t have the punitive damages so the compensation for Hogan could significantly be much higher. When breaking down the massive $115 million, $55 million was awarded for economic injuries and $60 million for emotional distress. The same jury will return to the courthouse next week to determine punitive charges. Gawker is appealing the decision and a statement from the company said that “it may be necessary for the appeals court to resolve this case.”
You can see the video of the verdict below.