In a day marked by anticipation, the courtroom braced itself for a verdict in Rudy Giuliani's high-profile defamation damages trial. Previously found liable of defamation by a judge resulting from false accusations he leveled against two Georgia election workers, Giuliani's fate now rested in the prickly hands of a pending verdict.
Twisting the needle of suspense, the judge declared that a unanimous decision had been reached. A judicial roller-coaster, the trial pivoted around two women, Ruby Freeman and Shea Moss, who demanded tens of millions in damages - at least $48 million, to counterbalance the reputational harm caused by Giuliani.
Labeling them ballot tampering criminals in more than a dozen statements after the 2020 election, Giuliani had stained their reputations by claiming they had manipulated absentee ballots. Their reality stood in stark contrast. One a Georgia employee and the other a volunteer election worker, the pair, a mother and daughter, spiraled from an anonymous existence into a vortex of national harassment. Sent unsolicited pizzas bearing racist messages, and subject to torrents of abusive voicemails, their lives were suddenly turned upside down.
Tasked with deciding compensation, the jury was expected not merely to mend bruised reputations, but also to account for the emotional distress the duo faced. On a mission to halt Giuliani's slanderous spree, the plaintiffs aimed to deter not just Giuliani, but anyone in a position of power from engaging in similar behavior.
In a surprise twist, Giuliani refrained from testifying in his own defense - an act that would have further inflamed the situation, given his rampant doubling down on his previous lies even on live television.
The jury awarded the victims with a staggering total of more than $100 million. This included $20 million each for emotional distress, over $16 million each for defamation, and a whopping $75 million in punitive damages to deter future such actions. A hefty sum, the verdict symbolized a stern rebuke against the misuse of power and public platforms for self-serving narratives and reckless allegations.
