Gets nearly one billion after sex tape scandal. – kjendis.no

(Dagbladet): The former switch Hulk Hogan won Friday the trial of the website Gawker Media, and is awarded compensation on outrageous $ 115 million – or 966 million Norwegian kroner exchange rate. It can cause the website goes bankrupt.

In 2012, a sex tape in which he enjoying Heather Clem, the former wife of Hogans radio host colleague – and best mate – Bubba the Love Sponge, leaked on the website Gawker.com . Hogan believes Gawker made no attempt to contact him, the woman in the film or her husband, who took up the movie.

Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, was furious and sued Gawker Media for $ 100 million. Since the time of publication has the video been viewed more than seven million times.

The trial has been ongoing for the last two weeks and ended with the parties to the case highlighted topics such as privacy versus a celebrity existence and freedom of expression versus the right to privacy, writes NTB.

– lower

Hogans lawyers emphasized what they think is junk journalism of Gawker. One of the lawyers stressed that private person Bollea must expect to be left alone in an intimate moment.

– It is important to gawk world is a video of my client, a private bedroom, along with a friend, on the degraded point in his life, said one of the lawyers during the trial.

– That’s the whole premise of how we work. We’re not going to break the rules. We are not going to produce journalism, responded Gawker-owner Nick Denton, according to NY Post.

Gawker said the video is not like other films where celebrities have sex and urged the defense to see footage that includes nine seconds of a sexual nature. Prosecutors also pointed out that the video first appeared on at least two other sites: TMZ and The Dirty writes NTB.

– This is a man who has sought the public, who are accustomed to attention, claimed the prosecution.

Jurors were not significantly open to take into account the explanations from Gawker and chose to give Hogan upheld.

Risking having to shut down

Gawker has previously announced that a claim the 100 million dollars could lead to that they must lay down the website and turn itself bankrupt.

– We never had money in the bank, since we are funded by cash flow. Journalistic work to get the truth forward is not compatible with outside investment, the Gawker CEO Nick Danton previously stated.

Ahead of the trial said Danton that it was inconceivable that Hogan would succeed with his claim. Now he warns that it may be appropriate to appeal the ruling.