Defense concludes closing arguments, with Giuliani’s lawyer telling jurors he’s a ‘good man’
Sibley ended his closing argument by insisting his client is “a good man.”
He noted how Giuliani was a unifying figure after the 9/11 terror attacks, and the work he did to take down the mob while he was the U.S. attorney in New York.
“Rudy Giuliani is a good man,” Sibley said, pleading with the jury to keep that in mind during their deliberations.
“I know that some of you may not think that and he hasn’t exactly helped himself with some of the things that have happened in the last few days,” Sibley conceded in his remarks, which lasted about a half hour.
Gottlieb, Freeman and Moss’ lawyer, is now delivering a brief rebuttal argument.
Giuliani lawyer acknowledges he’s ‘committed wrongful conduct’
Giuliani lawyer Joseph Sibley has began his closing argument. He quickly acknowledged that “my client has committed wrongful conduct against” the plaintiffs.
He also suggested Giuliani decided not to testify because “we feel like these women have been through enough.” While accepting that “these women have been harmed,” Sibley said the amount they’re seeking in damages is too high.
He told the jurors the message they should send his client is: “You should have been better, but you’re not as bad as the plaintiffs are making you out to be.”
Giuliani should pay each plaintiff at least $24M in damages, lawyer says
Gottlieb asked the jury to award Freeman and Moss at least $24 million each in damages for Giuliani’s defamatory statements.
“That amount is not even close to the amount of reputational damage our clients have suffered in this case,” Gottlieb said.
He did not request a specific amount for the emotional distress claims or the punitive damages, telling jurors he would leave that up to their good judgment.
Gottlieb also played a video of Giuliani criticizing the mother and daughter outside the courthouse earlier this week. “He does not think that Ruby Freeman…
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