What to know about Rudy Giuliani’s defamation trial
- Today is the fourth day of Rudy Giuliani's civil defamation trial related to false claims he made about two former election workers in Georgia.
- A judge ruled this year that Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, defamed Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, by baselessly accusing them of election fraud.
- The plaintiffs' lawyer asked jurors today to award them at least $24 million each for Giuliani's defamatory statements. Witness Ashlee Humphreys, a Northwestern University professor and expert in social media, testified yesterday that, based on her analysis, it would cost Freeman and Moss $17.8 million to $47.8 million to fix their reputations.
- In a reversal, Giuliani will not take the stand today, his lawyer said, meaning the trial went straight into closing arguments.
- After both sides concluded their closing arguments, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell dismissed the jury in the early afternoon to begin deliberating the amount in damages that Giuliani owes the plaintiffs. The jury later went home for the evening, with deliberations scheduled to resume tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET.
Giuliani departs courthouse, does not speak to press
Giuliani left the courthouse shortly after it was announced that the jury deliberations would resume tomorrow morning.
Unlike previous days in the trial, Giuliani declined to speak to the press while leaving the building.
Jury leaves, will continue deliberations tomorrow morning
The jury has ended its deliberations for the day and left the courthouse.
Deliberations are scheduled to resume tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET.
The jury has asked for documents concerning damages
The jury submitted a note to the judge asking if they could be provided with a copy of the slideshow and reports presented by the plaintiff's expert witness, Ashlee Humphreys.
The documents in question detail her assessment of what she believes the plaintiffs should be awarded in damages. The request was denied, as the documents had not been entered into evidence.
Humphreys, a professor of sociology at Northwestern University, also served as an expert witness in E. Jean Carroll's defamation suit against former President Donald Trump.
Jury submits question to judge
Lawyers from both sides have returned to the courtroom to hear a question submitted by the jury.
Jury deliberations begin
Judge Howell has finished instructing the jury, which is now beginning deliberations.
Moss and Freeman's lawyer urged the jurors to award his clients at least $24 million each. Giuliani's attorney suggested the amount should be much less.
Deliberations started at 1:35 p.m. ET.
Closing arguments are over, judge now instructing jury
The lawyer for Moss and Freeman has finished his rebuttal argument, and U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell is now instructing the jurors about what they should consider while deliberating their verdict.
Defense ends closing arguments with Giuliani's lawyer telling jurors he's a 'good man'
Sibley ended his closing argument by insisting his client is "a good man."
He noted how Giuliani was a unifying figure after the 9/11 terror attacks, and the work he did to take down the mob while he was the U.S. attorney in New York.
“Rudy Giuliani is a good man,” Sibley said, pleading with the jury to keep that in mind during their deliberations.
“I know that some of you may not think that and he hasn’t exactly helped himself with some of the things that have happened in the last few days,” Sibley conceded in his remarks, which lasted about a half hour.
Gottlieb, Freeman and Moss' lawyer, is now delivering a brief rebuttal argument.
Giuliani lawyer acknowledges he's 'committed wrongful conduct'
Giuliani lawyer Joseph Sibley has began his closing argument. He quickly acknowledged that "my client has committed wrongful conduct against" the plaintiffs.
He also suggested Giuliani decided not to testify because "we feel like these women have been through enough." While accepting that "these women have been harmed," Sibley said the amount they're seeking in damages is too high.
He told the jurors the message they should send his client is: “You should have been better, but you’re not as bad as the plaintiffs are making you out to be.”
Giuliani should pay each plaintiff at least $24M in damages, lawyer says
Gottlieb asked the jury to award Freeman and Moss at least $24 million each in damages for Giuliani’s defamatory statements.
“That amount is not even close to the amount of reputational damage our clients have suffered in this case,” Gottlieb said.
He did not request a specific amount for the emotional distress claims or the punitive damages, telling jurors he would leave that up to their good judgment.
Gottlieb also played a video of Giuliani criticizing the mother and daughter outside the courthouse earlier this week. “He does not think that Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss are good people,” Gottlieb said. “Never has, and if this week is any indication, he never will.”
Before wrapping up his statement, he also alluded to Giuliani’s decision not to testify, reminding jurors that his clients had testified under oath “unlike some other people.”
Freeman attorney urges jury to ‘send a message’ with their verdict
Gottlieb asked the jury to “send a message” with a verdict against the former New York City mayor.
Giuliani “has no right to offer up defenseless civil servants up to a virtual mob in order to overturn an election,” the lawyer said, urging jurors to make him pay for his actions.
An expert witness for Freeman and Moss, Ashlee Humphreys, testified yesterday that it would cost the mother and daughter between $17.8 million to $47.8 million to fix their reputations.