Jurors have awarded University of Virginia administrator Nicole Eramo $3 million for how she was portrayed in a now-discredited Rolling Stone article about a brutal gang rape a fraternity house.
Libby Locke, Eramo's attorney, spoke with reporters outside of the federal courthouse in Charlottesville,
"The verdict and damages award were nothing short of a comple repudiation of Rolling Stone and Sabrina Ruben Erdely's flawed and malicious journalism."
Locke says the damage to Eramo is not about money but responsibility,
"There's really no amount of money that can put Nicol back to the day before the article… that money doesn't fix the issue. The real win was on Friday with the verdict and the public repudiation of Rolling Stone; shame on them, shame on them."
Eramo had sought a 7 and a half million dollars but Locke says that was not the point,
"The money is icing on the cake. Look, $3 million dollars is nothing to sneeze at and we're truly grateful and appreciative of the jury for their thoughtful deliberation."
Jurors awarded $2 million to Eramo for statements made by Erdely and $1 million for the republication of the article by Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone could appeal the verdict but has agreed to pay Erdely's legal costs and the damages levied against her.
