Hulk Hogan's case against Gawker nears close
Barring a stunning reversal of fortunes, Hulk Hogan looks primed to beat Gawker.
The trial in Hogan's lawsuit, in which he's suing Gawker over the publication of a sex tape featuring the former wrestler and a friend's wife, is coming to a close after almost two weeks of testimony.
Closing arguments could begin as early as Thursday.
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Even Gawker's own leadership did not give the company much of a chance headed into the case, and the trial has provided few reasons to think anything has changed.
Except for one glimmer of hope that emerged on Wednesday.
The case of Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, rests on the argument that Gawker violated his privacy by publishing the tape. Gawker has argued that the tape is newsworthy because Hogan is a celebrity who had publicly bragged about his sexual prowess and drawn attention to the tape.
The second part of that argument received some support in the form of Heather Cole, the woman with whom Hogan appears in the tape.
Cole, the former wife of a Florida radio personality, appeared in a video deposition recorded in 2015, in which she answered questions about the tape. Holding back tears, she said that she had been hurt by how Hogan had discussed the tape publicly.
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Hogan has claimed that he talked about the tape publicly only in his wrestling persona because it is something he has to do professionally.
The trial, now in its second week, has also exposed some of the inner workings of Gawker. CEO and founder Nick Denton took the stand to talk about the company's operations. He was also required to read the post that contained Hogan's sex tape.
Hogan's lawyer, meanwhile, struck a confident tone.
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Hogan is currently seeking damages of $100 million from Gawker. The amount could be considerably less in the event the jury finds for Hogan.
If Gawker loses, the company is expected to appeal. Legal experts expect it could have a strong case on 1st Amendment grounds.
Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.
