Motion for new trial denied in $70 million rape award

May 18, 2018 by Triton Staff

A South Florida judge has denied a yacht owner’s request for a new trial after a jury awarded more than $70 million to a crew member who was raped onboard in February 2015.

Attorneys for Island Girl Ltd., which owns the 150-foot Feadship M/Y Endless Summer, had appealed the Jan. 29 verdict and its award, saying that the woman’s attorney tainted the jury in his “highly improper and inflammatory” closing argument, prompting them to return the “truly staggering” $70.56 million award, an amount “wildly out of line” with comparable Florida verdicts.

The Broward County judge disagreed on May 8.

There are still legal proceedings pending regarding the yacht owner’s appeal of the dollar amount of the award.

-Triton staff

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