Closing summary
Here is a wrap-up of the day’s key events:
The plaintiffs completed their side of the case at the end of Wednesday, ending with Ruby Freeman’s testimony of the ways the election conspiracies upended her life. Rudy Giuliani’s team will present its side on Thursday, with Giuliani possibly taking the stand.
Freeman testified about her experiences following Giuliani’s defamatory comments made towards her in which he accused her of committing election fraud. “Sometimes I don’t know who I am,” said Freeman.
Freeman shared the messages she received after lies by Trump and Giuliani spread around the internet. The messages included graphic language, racist imagery and slurs, harassment and death threats. She feared for her life.
Freeman said that she had to move from her home for safety reasons and has not felt comfortable telling her new neighbors her name. She didn’t put her house or utilities in her name out of concern for her safety.
Joe Sibley, Rudy Giuliani’s lawyer, tested the idea that perhaps Giuliani’s defamation case actually helped Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the Guardian’s Sam Levine reports. Sibley pointed to Freeman and Moss receiving the Presidential Citizens Medal from Joe Biden earlier this year, as well as Moss being awarded the John F Kennedy Profile in Courage award.
Joseph Sibley also tried to undercut the idea that tens of millions of dollars are needed to repair the reputations of Freeman and Moss’ reputation. He assailed the idea of using a reputational repair campaign as a way of quantifying the harm of a defamed statement. He also suggested that until Ashlee Humphreys – a professor from Northwestern University and an expert witness of plaintiffs Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss - utilized it in the E Jean Carroll defamation case, it has not been used.
“The defamatory claims had a significant, negative and long-lasting impact on the reputations of Ms Freeman and Ms Moss,” said Ashlee Humphreys. “Ms Freeman and Ms Moss are widely associated with claims of election fraud,” Humphreys added.
Ashlee Humphreys said in court that prior to 3 December 2020, there was almost no search traffic for “Ruby Freeman”. Afterwards, there was an increase, she said.
Ashlee Humphreys also analyzed a Donald Trump campaign advertisement about suitcases in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, the Guardian’s Sam Levine reports. According to Humphreys, the advertisement got between 8m and 18.2m impressions from the Trump campaign and Trump Twitter accounts.
Ashlee Humphreys also explained the omnipresent nature of podcasts and how they appear on various platforms, according to Law & Crime reporter Brandi Buchman. Humphreys added that Rudy Giuliani’s podcast in which he accused Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman of cheating was widely shared on multiple platforms including his website and One America Network, a far-right cable news channel.
Federal judge Beryl Howell called out Rudy Giuliani for disparaging the plaintiffs’ counsel last night following yesterday’s court hearing, saying that it violated a court stipulation. “I thought I could make comments about counsel,” said Giuliani, adding: “I will not do it in the future.” In response, Howell said, “There’s a lot of accidents going on here, Mr Giuliani.”
Updated
Rudy Giuliani’s attorney did not cross-examine Ruby Freeman.
Plaintiffs have rested their case, leaving the defense to present their side tomorrow. Giuliani may testify.
The plaintiffs case in chief is over, prosecutors have rested.
— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) December 13, 2023
Tomorrow we start with the defense's case. Meaning Giuliani will likely testify. Jurors will come back in at 10AM.
