Hulk Hogan awarded $115 million in damages over sex tape published by Gawker

Gawker founder Nick Denton speaking to the media after the jury's decision was announced
AP
Tom Marshall19 March 2016

Hulk Hogan has been awarded $115 million (£79 million) in damages after celebrity gossip website Gawker published a sex tape of the retired wrestler.

The ex-wrestling star, 62, wept as the verdict was read out after a two week trial in Florida. The jury awarded the huge sum after deliberating for less than six hours.

Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, had sued Gawker for posting a video of him sleeping with his former best friend’s wife in 2012.

His legal team had argued that the sex tape was not newsworthy and that the website had violated his privacy.

Gawker founder Nick Denton speaking to the media after the jury's decision was announced
AP

Speaking outside the courtroom, Hogan’s lawyer David Houston said the ruling was a victory for anyone “who's been victimised by tabloid journalism”.

Hogan's team also said in a statement: “We're exceptionally happy with the verdict. We think it represents a statement as to the public's disgust with the invasion of privacy disguised as journalism. The verdict says no more.”

Gawker, which was founded 12 years ago, said it would appeal the decision moments after the verdict was read out.

Founder Nick Denton said: “Given key evidence and the most important witness were both improperly withheld from this jury, we all knew the appeals court will need to resolve the case.”

Hulk Hogan outside court
AP

During the trial, the website insisted Hogan’s private life was newsworthy.

The site’s lawyers also told the jury that the video, which contains nine seconds of sexual content, was "not like a real celebrity sex tape" and urged them to watch it.

Lawyer Michael Sullivan said: "He has consistently chosen to put his private life out there, for public consumption."

Law professor Samantha Barbas, based at the University at Buffalo, said the ruling could “potentially be a turning point in law”.

She said: “It's a huge damage award, and just the idea that a celebrity has a right to privacy that outweighs freedom of the press and the public's right to know, that's a huge shift in American free press law.”

Hogan was one of the most popular professional wrestlers of the 1980s and 1990s and also starred in films and a reality TV show.

However, World Wrestling Entertainment cut ties with him last year after he was caught up in a racism storm.

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