ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Ex pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan’s lawyer asked jurors Monday to award even more in punitive damages against Gawker Media, after they hit the company with a $115 million judgment for publishing a sex video of Hulk Hogan, but Gawker’s lawyer pleaded that the existing verdict is already “debilitating” for the company.
Jurors in the sex tape lawsuit began deliberating about punitive damages after hearing brief statements from lawyers from Gawker and Hogan on Monday afternoon.
On Friday, the jury awarded Hogan $115 million for economic harm and emotional distress.
During closing arguments Monday, Hogan’s lawyer Kenneth Turkel said Gawker Media’s gross revenues in 2015 were $48.7 million and that founder Nick Denton has a total of $121 million, including a $3.6 million Manhattan condo. Gawker Media is worth $83 million, the lawyers said.
Turkel said the jury can decide on a punitive amount as both punishment to Gawker and a deterrent to other media companies.