Jurors say Hogan was distressed by publication of sex tape

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The six jurors who sided with Hulk Hogan in his lawsuit over the publication of a sex tape said they believe the ex-pro wrestler was emotionally distressed over it.

In an ABC News interview that aired Thursday morning, the jurors said that despite Hogan’s celebrity status, he’s still a human being. They awarded him $140 million in his lawsuit against Gawker Media.

“If we were all in the same circumstance, how would we feel about it?” juror Paula Eastman said. “And, emotionally, we would have all been pretty devastated.”

In an interview that aired Thursday, Hogan told NBC’s “Today” show he hasn’t watched the tape, adding it was “the most embarrassing moment of my life.”

He sued Gawker for invasion of privacy after it published the video in which he has sex with his friend’s wife online. Hogan said he didn’t know he was being recorded. Gawker said the footage was newsworthy information about a public figure, and protected by the First Amendment.

Hogan also said he is accountable for his actions.

“I blame myself because you’re at an all-time low, you have nobody. My gut was telling me something’s wrong and I made the worst decision of my life,” he said.

Salina Stevens, another juror in the case, said she looked for signs of remorse from Gawker Media founder Nick Denton but didn’t see any.

Denton, who says he’ll appeal the verdict, told ABC he still believes the sex tape was newsworthy. He also said he does not think Hogan is credible when he says he did not know he was being recorded.