Hulk Hogan, the former WWF/E champion, wrestling legend, and American Icon, has come out victorious in his lawsuit against Gawker Media. And it’s his biggest win in years – a legal leg drop for the ages.
The lawsuit originated over Gawker Media’s posting of a sex tape, filmed without Hogan’s knowledge by his friend and radio DJ Bubba the Love Sponge, on their website back in 2012. The tape depicted Hogan having sex with Bubba’s wife, something all parties consented to. Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) sued for damages, stating that while he didn’t have an issue with Gawker discussing the existence of the tape, he drew the line when an actual clip of it was posted.
The jury trial lasted two weeks, during which Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) claimed he suffered emotional distress from the posting and contended it was a violation of his privacy. He was suing for $100 million dollars.
Friday, a St. Petersburg, Florida jury gave him the $100 million and an additional $15 million beyond that, including a full $55 million for economic injuries and another $60 million for emotional distress.
The lawsuit, which singled out Gawker Founder Nick Denton for an interview in which he stated “privacy invasion has a positive effect on society,” was in the end decided by a jury of four women and two men, who deliberated for six hours before returning their decision.
Hogan’s lawyer, David Houston, issued a brief statement outside the courtroom, saying “Mr. Bollea is exceptionally happy. This is not only his victory today, but also anyone else who’s been victimized by tabloid journalism.”
The Hulkster himself took to Twitter, posting simply:
The trial isn’t yet over – Hogan’s legal team will be seeking legal damages on top of Friday’s award. Gawker, meanwhile, has promised to appeal, claiming it’s a free speech matter. What leg they have to stand on remains to be seen, especially as public sentiment against invasion of privacy and sex tape leaks continues to shift, and more and more jurisdictions enact laws against the posting of intimate videos and images without the consent of all parties.
Appeals courts may have little love for Gawker’s antics. In the meantime, by Florida law they will be required to post bond for $50 million dollars of the judgement.
Will the win help Hogan in eventually finding his way back to the WWE? The Gawker post in a sense set off years of turmoil of Hogan, including an extortion attempt and a snippet of video showing him using the N-word. While Hogan has said he won’t be back for this year’s WrestleMania, it seems nearly unthinkable that the WWE will keep him out of the fold for long. And either way, if even part of the jury’s award stands, Hogan is set for life.
