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HOUSTON (KSAT) – A Houston woman has been awarded $1.2 billion after her ex-boyfriend distributed intimate images and videos of her online without her permission — a crime known as “revenge porn.”

The victim was awarded $200 million for past and future mental anguish (compensatory damages) & $1 billion in exemplary damages.

The victim’s ex-boyfriend, Marques Jamal Jackson, has been ordered to pay the damages.

“We are grateful the jury took a strong stand against the defendant’s abhorrent behavior & against imaged-based sexual abuse. While a judgment in this case is unlikely to be recovered, the compensatory verdict gives [the victim] back her good name,” said trial lawyer Bradford Gilde.

Court documents reveal that the former couple initially ended their relationship in 2020 but tried to reconcile several times & didn’t fully separate until the fall of 2021.

During that time, the victim moved back in with her mother & Jackson would log on to the victim’s mother’s home security system to spy on the victim.

Jackson hacked the victim’s work computer, emailed loan officers claiming the victim was submitting fraudulent applications & shared intimate material of the victim on multiple social media websites.

Gilde said Jackson intended to inflict a combination of psychological abuse, domestic violence & sexual abuse.

Trial evidence revealed that Jackson told the victim, “You will spend the rest of your life trying and failing to wipe yourself off the internet. Everyone you ever meet will hear the story & go looking. Happy Hunting.”

“We will forever admire [the victim’s] courage in fighting back. We hope the staggering amount of this verdict sends a message of deterrence and prevents others from this engaging in this despicable activity,” said Gilde.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The families of Gabby Petito & Brian Laundrie have reached a $3 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed after authorities concluded he strangled her during a cross-country trip in August 2021.

The settlement was signed Thursday by Sarasota County Circuit Judge Hunter W. Carroll. A lawyer for Petito’s parents said whatever money is received will go to the Gabby Petito Foundation dedicated to locating missing people & curbing domestic violence.

“The Petito family lost their daughter & they were also denied the opportunity to confront her killer,” said attorney Patrick Reilly. “No amount of money is sufficient to compensate the Petito family for the loss of their daughter, Gabby, at the hands of Brian Laundrie.”

The lawsuit claimed Laundrie was liable for damages because he caused her death. A separate lawsuit, still pending in Sarasota, claims Laundrie’s parents wrongly concealed that he confessed to killing Petito before he returned home in September 2021 to Florida from their trip out West in a converted van.

Christopher & Roberta Laundrie denied that claim.

Petito’s disappearance on the trip & the subsequent discovery of her slain body Sept. 19, 2021 became a national obsession.

His remains were found there in October 2021 & investigators say he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound & left a note confessing to Petito’s slaying.

The Petito family has also filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against police in Moab, Utah, where the couple got into a physical altercation but were allowed by officers to resume their journey despite clear danger signs of domestic violence. 

Petito & Laundrie were engaged to be married. 

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Video After The Jump

(WBAL) The jury has ruled in favor of the family of Korryn Gaines in their wrongful death civil trial in Baltimore County.

After deliberating for about three hours, jurors ruled that Baltimore County police Officer Royce Ruby did not act reasonably in the fatal shooting of Gaines and the wounding of her son, Kodi, in August 2016.

The jury awarded the family more than $36 million, including actual medical and funeral expenses and non-economic damages (pain and suffering). No punitive damages were awarded.

The jury awarded $32 million to Kodi, $300,000 to Korryn Gaines' father, $300,000 to Korryn Gaines' mother, $300,000 to Korryn Gaines' estate, and $4.5 million to Karsyn Courtney, Korryn Gaines' daughter.

Gaines' family was crying and hugging in the courtroom after the jury verdict was read. Ruby did not flinch as the verdict and damages were read.

"I don't know how anyone can just extinguish a life, then hide behind a badge," Korryn Gaines' mother, Rhanda Dormeus, said. "I can't even get out of bed to do my activities of daily life. I was a registered nurse, a psychiatric nurse. This has ripped me apart. I am not mad with Officer Ruby. I don't have any space to be mad because my heart is too broken."

"For Kodi, it means a lot. Now he's going to be able to get the help he needs. It's a sad situation what happened, and I'm very glad the jury came back and saw what was going on in that courtroom was't right, and what happened Aug. 1 wasn't right either," Korryn Gaines' father, Corey Cunningham, said.

"This is a great day. This is a great statement on behalf of many who have been victimized by police officers -- too many in our community. This is a great day," said Ken Ravenell, attorney for Kodi Gaines.

"Korryn is smiling today. She got her day in court," said J. Wyndal Gordon, the attorney for the Gaines family.

Baltimore County Attorney Mike Field issued a statement, saying, "A mother died, a child was unintentionally injured, and police officers were placed in mortal danger. By any account, this was a tragic situation. The county is disappointed with the verdict and is reviewing all of its options, including an appeal."

In September 2016, Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger said no criminal charges would be filed against the officers involved. Ruby was promoted after the shooting.

"I hope that Shellenberger is now second-guessing his decision. I have no degree of faith that he would reconsider it," Gordon said.

"This guy knowingly assassinated my daughter and injured my grandson to, I believe, beyond repair with post-traumatic stress," Dormeus said. "This win is for all of my sisters in the movement who have lost their children to police violence. Some of them have never received justice, either criminally or civil. I just want to tell them that this win is for them."

"He needs to pay for it more than just out of pocket because, actually the citizens are going to pay for this, he's not even going to pay. He's going home to his family. My family has been destroyed," said Kareem Courtney, Karsyn's father.

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