In a groundbreaking legal decision, a Texan woman has been granted a staggering $1.2 billion settlement after a jury found her to be a victim of revenge pornography. Court documents identify the woman as DL, who courageously came forward to accuse her ex-boyfriend of maliciously sharing her intimate photographs across the internet.
According to a report by NBC News, DL's former partner, Marques Jamal Jackson, allegedly distributed the compromising images across various social media platforms and even directly sent them to her circle of friends, colleagues, and family members. Shockingly, Jackson went as far as creating a dedicated website to host these explicit images, some of which were acquired during their relationship, while others were obtained through invasive means, such as tapping into security cameras within DL's mother's home.
DL's legal team has revealed that Jackson had menacingly warned her about the lifelong struggle she would face in attempting to erase the images from the digital realm. A text message sent by Jackson in March 2022 reads, "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 and go looking."
The contentious relationship between Jackson and DL began in 2016, only to deteriorate into a prolonged and tumultuous breakup by early 2020, as outlined in the lawsuit. The situation escalated after their final separation in October 2021, with Jackson's behavior spiraling into a state described by DL's legal representatives as "delusional and paranoid."
Not stopping at the unauthorized distribution of intimate images, Jackson proceeded to breach DL's privacy in more ways than one. He reportedly hacked into her Zoom account, misappropriated funds from her to cover his rent, falsely accused her of submitting fraudulent loan applications, and engaged in persistent harassment through multiple phone numbers.
On August 9, a Houston-area jury handed down an unprecedented verdict, ruling that Jackson is liable to pay DL a jaw-dropping $1.2 billion in damages for his role in the revenge porn case. This monumental sum is comprised of $1 billion in punitive damages and an additional $200 million in actual damages.
Legal experts and observers have noted that this eye-watering figure serves primarily as a deterrent, considering Jackson's apparent lack of substantial assets. "This is a deterrence case, not a money case," commented Jacob Schiffer, one of DL's legal representatives.
While the likelihood of recovering the full judgment remains uncertain due to Jackson's financial situation, the compensatory verdict has proven to be a vital step in reclaiming DL's tarnished reputation. Bradford J Gilde, the lead attorney for the woman, emphasized, "While a judgment in this case is unlikely to be recovered, the compensatory verdict gives DL back her good name."
