Major Nancy Benoit-Hustler Lawsuit Update

A Georgia jury voted today to award $20 million to the family of Nancy Benoit in their lawsuit against Hustler magazine. The family sued after the magazine published nude pictures of her on the heels of the Chris Benoit murder-suicide.

However, once the verdict was announced by the jury, the judge in the case noted that the jury was unable to exceed the state's punitive cap for lawsuits, and ruled that the magazine is liable for $375,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. The family's lawyers said they will appeal due to the fact that Georgia law allows a jury to exceed the $250,000 punitive cap if it's proven the defendant "acted ... with intent to harm."