As we reported just yesterday, Hulk Hogan’s winnings from the Gawker trial have now topped out at $140 MILLION in both compensatory and punitive damages combined. “They had to do what was best for business for their company, but for me, everybody that knows me knows that’s not who I am”.
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Pointing to text messages between Hogan and his friend Bubba Clem as proof, Denton added, “I had suspicions, but it is now clear that Hogan’s lawsuit was a calculated attempt to prevent Gawker, or anyone else who might obtain evidence of his racism, from publishing a truth more interesting and more damaging than a revelation about his sex life”. Gawker argued that publication was protected by the First Amendment and that Hogan/Bollea had waived some of his right to privacy by bragging about his sexual exploits in interviews. As for Friday’s big win, the money awarded will cover any and all economic injuries ($55 million) and emotional distress ($60 million) Hogan may have suffered following the release of the graphic clips.
Gawker will appeal the verdict returned by the jury, which found that Hogan’s privacy was violated when the website published excerpts from his sex tape in 2012. Besides refusing the judge’s orders to take the video down, which started this whole trial in the first place, Gawker repeatedly did and said things that implied they weren’t taking the case seriously and thought they would ride the “freedom of speech” defense to victory.
Former wrestler Hulk Hogan got $25 million in punitive damages in his sex tape lawsuit, bringing his total haul to $140 million, TMZ reports. Gawker has already said it would appeal. Even if it is upheld, its effects could be narrow, because in running the video, the sex-and-gossip site did something most media organizations wouldn’t even consider, legal experts said.
Statements from witness Bubba Clem describe how Hogan knew he was being filmed, that the camera was in obvious view and how it was “not unusual for Heather to tape herself having sex”.
“And I was – you know, just texting and texting, ‘Why did you do this to me?”
“Told ya I was gonna slam another giant”, the 62-year-old wrestler wrote.
Meanwhile, Hogan’s ex-wife Linda has admitted the wrestling icon’s financial windfall has left a bad taste in her mouth. And where I grew up was south Tampa and it was a really rough neighborhood, very low income, and all of my friends, we greeted each other saying that word. “Even if I lost, I made people aware that this shouldn’t happen to normal people, especially any kids that are on social media…Gawker is the ultimate bully and I just didn’t want it to happen to you or anybody here”. In an interview on ABC’s “The View” Wednesday, Mr. Bollea called using racist language “the stupidest thing I’ve ever said”.
“Everywhere I show up, people treat me like I’m still the champ”, he said.
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Discussing the leak, Hogan said: ‘I was completely humiliated’. “I am highly favored by God and His universe”, he would say.
