New York: Ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Slapped with $148 Million Punishment Over Defamation Case

Former Donald Trump lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani lost the lawsuit filed by two Georgia election workers after he spread false information about them regarding the 2020 elections, falsely claiming that they were undermining the elections, and these claims led to death threats and racist attacks.

A federal judge in Washington DC has already determined the former New York City mayor has defamed Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. After the emotional trial, a federal jury ordered him to pay a total of $148 million to both of them.

According to CBS News, the jury of eight Washington DC residents deliberated for approximately 10 hours from Thursday to Friday before reaching their decision. This came after days of emotional testimony from the two Georgia election workers about the harassment and racist attacks they received after Giuliani spread fake news against them.

Broken down, Ruby Freeman was awarded $16,171,000 in compensatory damages for defamation, while Shaye Moss received $16,998,000 in compensatory damages for defamation. The two also get $20 million each, for a total of $40 million in compensatory damages for emotional distress. Finally, the two Georgia women were awarded $75 million in punitive damages for both of them.

Federal Judge Beryl Howell already found Giuliani legally responsible for defaming Moss and Freeman and found that he inflicted emotional harm upon them before the trial even started. This meant that the jury was only tasked with determining how much Giuliani would have to pay the two women.

Rudy Giuliani Remains Defiant After Verdict Was Read

After the verdict was read, Giuliani exited the DC courthouse and spoke with reporters briefly, complaining about the jury's decision and still doubling down on his lies despite the court finding him to have lied.

"Very little I can say right now," he told reporters after the trial. "The absurdity of the number underscores the absurdity of the entire proceedings."

"The comments they received, I had nothing to do with," he continued, calling the threats the two Georgia election workers received after he spread false information about them as "abominable" and deplorable." However, he denied even being involved in those threats despite spreading the fake news against them.

"I'm quite confident that when this case gets before a fair tribunal, it will be reversed so quickly it'll make your head spin, and the absurd number that just came in will help that," he vowed, saying that he would appeal the case.

Rudy Giuliani Rested His Case Without Any Witnesses

On Wednesday, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani told reporters he was testifying on the stand. However, after the judge reprimanded him for doubling down on his election lies, his attorney, Joseph Sibley, said that his client would not be taking the stand at all. This meant that the former New York prosecutor ended the trial with no witnesses for himself.

The Giuliani lawyer also admitted that the trauma Freeman and Moss had was genuine and even called his client "irresponsible" for stoking false claims against them without calling for an investigation.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Rudy Giuliani ordered to pay nearly $150 million in damages in defamation case - ABC News