A damages trial begins Monday in a case in which a judge has already ruled that Rudy Giuliani is liable for defamation.

A damages trial begins Monday in a case in which a judge has already ruled that Rudy Giuliani is liable for defamation.

When Rudy Giuliani steps into federal court on Monday, the only mystery will be how severely he is sanctioned for lies about the 2020 election.

U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell has already found him liable for defaming two Georgia election workers — Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss — who faced threats and harassment after Giuliani and Donald Trump falsely accused them of manipulating ballots after the 2020 election. Those lies fueled conspiracy theories that have festered to this day.

Now, a jury in Washington, D.C., will be asked to determine the amount of damages Giuliani must pay for defamation, infliction of emotional distress and other punitive costs. Freeman and Moss haven’t specified a precise amount but are instead preparing to introduce expert testimony to estimate the harm they have experienced.

  • Flying Squid
    76•11 months ago

    Whatever the jury decides, it won’t be enough. This is absolutely aiding in overthrowing the government of the United States. Anything less than life in prison, which he won’t get, is not enough.

    • SuperDuper
      49•11 months ago

      You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart, right? The spies and treason, we used to handle it a little differently than we do now.

      -Donald Trump, treasonous foreign intelligence asset

      • Flying Squid
        18•11 months ago

        Allow me to be smug and say that that’s one thing that makes me better than Trump- I don’t think the state should have the power to execute anyone for any crime. Not even treason.

        • SuperDuper
          22•11 months ago

          For the record, neither do I.

          I do, however, find it infuriating that so-called Christians will happily support the death penalty despite it being against their religion, all the while frothing at the mouth over abortions and homosexuality.

          • @eestileib@sh.itjust.works
            6•11 months ago

            Deuteronomy and Leviticus specify the death penalty for many many things.

            Those two books matter more than the entire new testament.

      • @CmdrShepardEnglish
        2•11 months ago

        What he meant by that was “these people receive pardons from the president now” a la Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon, and George Papadopoulos.

    • Nougat
      7•11 months ago

      Anything less than life in prison, which he won’t get, is not enough.

      This is a civil defamation case. Prison isn’t an option in any civil case, only damages are.

      You’re thinking of the GA RICO criminal case, where prison is not only “on the table,” it’s all but guaranteed with a conviction.

    • @jordanlund@lemmy.world
      7•11 months ago

      This isn’t the trial for trying to overthrow the Georgia election, this is the one for defaming the two election workers.

      It’s to figure out how they will divide his last two cents.