A Florida jury has awarded 85-year-old golf legend Jack Nicklaus $50 million in a defamation lawsuit against his former company.
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WESTPALMBEACH—AFloridajuryhasawarded85-year-oldgolflegendJackNicklaus$50millioninadefamationlawsuitagainsthisformercompany.
ThePalmBeachCountyjuryonOct.20foundthattheNicklausCos.activelyparticipatedinthefalsepublishingoffactsthatdamagedNicklaus’reputationandexposedhimto“ridicule,hatred,mistrust,distrustorcontempt.”
Thesix-personpanelalsoruledinfavorofbillionairebankerHowardMilstein,theexecutivechairmanoftheNicklausCos.,andNicklausCos.executiveAndrewO’Brien,bothofwhomwerenamedindividuallyinthedefamationlawsuit.
ThatportionoftheverdictmeansMilsteinandO’BrienarenotrequiredtopayNicklausdamagesaswell.
AttorneysforallpartiespresentedtheirclosingargumentsOct.20,andjurorsdeliberatedforaboutfour-and-a-halfhours,returningtothecourtroomshortlybefore6:30p.m.toannouncetheirverdict.
“Wetremendouslyappreciatethetimethatthejuryputintothiscase,”
