ATLANTA — A Washington, DC 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."
Giuliani, along with others associated with the Trump campaign, appeared at a Georgia State Senate hearing on Dec. 3, 2020. During the nearly seven-hour hearing, Giuliani attempted to persuade lawmakers that fraud handed Biden the victory. Among the evidence offered was a video of election operations in Fulton County. Giuliani claimed the video showed election workers bringing in "suitcases" of unlawful ballots to State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta.
The Georgia Secretary of State's Office debunked the claims almost immediately. But Giuliani did not back down, and he eventually zeroed in on Moss and Freeman. He mentioned the mother-daughter duo in television appearances, on his podcast, and during other meetings with state lawmakers. He accused Freeman and Moss of "passing around USB ports like they were vials of heroin or cocaine" during a late December 2020 legislative hearing.
The Georgia State Election Board dismissed a case tied to alleged election fraud at State Farm Arena earlier this year, clearing Moss and Freeman of wrongdoing. The pair filed their lawsuit against Giuliani in 2021.
Giuliani and 18 others — including former President Donald Trump — were indicted by a Fulton County grand jury in August for allegedly criminally interfering in the 2020 election. Giuliani faces 13 charges, including one count of violating the state's racketeering act.