(11ALIVE) A Washington jury Friday ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay roughly $148 million to two former Fulton County election workers who were subjected to violent threats after he falsely accused them of committing election fraud, the Associated Press reports.
The eight-person panel ruled that Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss should receive the multi-million dollar amount for Giuliani's defamation against them. The jury awarded each woman more than $16 million for the defamation claims. The women will receive $20 million each for emotional distress. The jury also granted $75 million in punitive damages.
Attorneys for the women urged the jury to award the women $24 million a piece in addition to an unspecified amount for emotional distress. Freeman and Moss also sought punitive damages to prevent future misconduct. Giuliani's attorneys said any award should be much less.
Giuliani, Trump's personal attorney and former New York City mayor, was earlier found to be liable for several defamation claims against the women. The trial began Monday, and the jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon once Giuliani opted not to take the stand. Giuliani said he plans to appeal Friday's ruling.
Freeman and Moss testified they were subjected to death threats as a result of the claims made by Giuliani and other Trump allies.
"Today’s a good day. A jury stood witness to what Rudy Giuliani did to me and my daughter and held him accountable and for that, I’m thankful," Freeman said. "I want people to understand this: money will never solve all of my problems. I can never move back into the house that I called home. I will always have to be careful about where I go and who I choose to share my name with. I miss my home. I miss my neighbors. And I miss my name."
READ MORE: https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/s...
