In a landmark decision, a federal jury in Washington, D.C., has ordered former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to pay a staggering $148 million in damages to two former Georgia election workers. Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea ArShaye "Shaye" Moss, filed a civil lawsuit against Giuliani for spreading baseless claims of voter fraud following the 2020 presidential election.

The jury of eight Washington, D.C., residents deliberated for approximately 10 hours before reaching their decision. The women had sought a total of $48.6 million in compensatory damages, but the jury's award of $148 million came as a surprise.

Giuliani, who served as former President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, remained defiant after the verdict was read in court. Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, he condemned the threats that the women received but continued to stand by his unfounded allegations of voter fraud. Giuliani expressed his intent to appeal the judgment.

The federal judge presiding over the case had already determined Giuliani's liability for defaming Freeman and Moss earlier this year. The jury's role was to determine the amount of compensatory and punitive damages to award the mother-and-daughter pair. Freeman had sought $23.9 million in compensatory damages, while Moss asked for $24.7 million for defamation, along with an unspecified amount for other damages.

Throughout the four-day trial, the jurors heard emotional testimony from Freeman and Moss. They described the horror they experienced when they were wrongfully implicated in a fake ballot processing scheme. Giuliani had falsely claimed that the two women had engaged in fraudulent activities while working as election workers for Fulton County during the last presidential election.

The consequences of Giuliani's baseless claims were devastating for Freeman and Moss. They received racist threats and endured a barrage of hate-filled calls, emails, texts, and letters. Moss was denied a promotion and missed out on job opportunities, while Freeman was forced to close her business and sell her house. Both women testified that they felt as though they had lost their identities.

Giuliani, despite acknowledging earlier in the case that his statements about Freeman and Moss were untrue, continued to make false claims during the trial. The judge expressed concerns about these statements. Giuliani's defense attorney did not contest the harm suffered by the plaintiffs but focused on expert witnesses called by the plaintiffs to calculate the damages.

The plaintiffs' attorneys argued that the conspiracy theories injected into media accounts were part of the Trump legal team's plan. Freeman testified that a post-election communications strategy from Giuliani's team had labeled her as a key component used to cast doubt on the 2020 election. She revealed that the plan was set in motion if Trump did not win and she would be their "culprit."

The jury was instructed to consider damages caused by Giuliani's co-conspirators in the defamation campaign, including former President Trump and his allies. One expert witness testified that the lies spread by Giuliani and his co-conspirators were seen by millions online, necessitating a costly campaign to restore Freeman and Moss's reputation.

While Giuliani's net worth and assets were reported to be less than the amount sought by the women, his attorney argued that the recommended award would be the "civil equivalent of the death penalty."

The verdict in this high-profile case sets a precedent for the consequences of spreading false information and defaming individuals. Giuliani's legal battle is far from over as he plans to appeal the judgment.