Gawker files for new trial against $140m Hulk Hogan verdict

The are looking to dramatically reduce or annul the multi-million dollar ruling

Hulk Hogan testifies in case against Gawker Pool / Getty Images

Lawyers for Gawker Media motioned to annul or significantly reduce the multi-million dollars in damages awarded to pro wrestling celebrity Hulk Hogan in a recent invasion of privacy suit — or receive a new trial altogether.

Mr Hogan sued the New York-based media company after their pop culture news site, Gawker.com, published a video featuring the wrestler having sex with a friend’s wife. A St Petersburg, Florida, jury ruled in favour of Mr Hogan in March, awarding him $140.1m in compensatory and punitive damages.

But Gawker Media is hoping to win the case in the appeals process, according to the Associated Press.

“Gawker is now beginning the process of challenging the jury’s verdict in a trial where key evidence was wrongly withheld and the jury was not properly instructed on the Constitutional standards for newsworthiness,” Gawker said in a statement, adding that they expect full vindication.

“And even if the verdict were to stand, there is no justification for awarding tens of millions of dollars never seen by victims of death and serious injuries.”

Mr Hogan’s legal team expects to hold Gawker fully accountable for what they believe was a breach of the reality TV star’s privacy in 2012.

“We emerged victorious once and we plan to do so again,” they wrote in a statement. “Of note it is apparent Gawker is unable to accept responsibility for their actions or demonstrate any intention of correcting their behavior.”

CEO and founder of Gawker Media called the lawsuit a “sham” in a statement posted to Gawker.com following the verdict. Mr Denton said that the jury was kept from hearing the “real, and actually embarrassing reason” that Mr Hogan sued was never for the sexual nature of the video, but because of racist language that appeared on an additional unpublished tape.