Hulkamania Runs Wild Over Gawker In Sex Tape Trial

PJ Browne
By PJ Browne
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Of all the details to emerge during Hulk Hogan's legal action against Gawker, the most amusing came pre-trial when Hogan's legal team won him the right to wear a plain bandana in court. He was not victorious in his pursuit of being referred to as 'Hulk Hogan' during the trial, the more routine Terry Bolea would have to suffice.

The wrestler took legal action against the website over its publishing, in 2012, of a sex-tape featuring him.

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Gawker contended that because Hogan had made no attempt to conceal details of his personal life previously, the sex-tape was fair game. Hogan asserted that his privacy had been breached. He was unaware that he was being filmed.

The tape featured Hogan having sex with Heather Cole - the wife of his then best friend Bubba the Love Sponge (real name Todd Alan Clem).

After the jury deliberated for six hours, Hogan was awarded $60m for emotional distress and $55m for economic damages. Any economic damage which Hogan suffered would appear to have been reversed by the $115m award by the court.

Gawker intendeds to appeal the decision with founder Nick Denton saying his team knew the appeals court would be necessary as key evidence and a key witness were both withheld from the jury.

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