Celebrity wrestler Hulk Hogan has been awarded $115 million by a Florida jury, which ruled that the Gawker website breached his privacy when it published a scandalous sex tape involving him and a friend's wife.
The jury awarded Hogan $60 million for emotional distress and $55 million for economic damages, and said there is a possibility that the wrestler might be awarded more damages as the court considers punitive damages next week.
"This is a victory for everyone who has had their privacy violated," Hogan's attorney David Houston, said, Reuters reported.
Nick Denton, the publisher of Gawker, which stared at the possibility of the business going belly up if the verdict was against it, said he will appeal against the judgment.
"We all knew the appeals court will need to resolve the case. We feel very positive about the appeal that we have already begun preparing, as we expect to win this case ultimately," Denton said in a statement.
Gawker, a New York-based publication that carries gossip and media news, had published an edited video that showed Hogan having sex with radio "shock jock" personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem.
The video of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) star's consensual encounter was published in 2012. The woman in the video was the wife of the wrestler's then-best friend.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, said the publication of the video was a breach of his privacy while Gawker said it was in line with its policy of covering true and interesting subjects.
