Back in mid-2017, a lawsuit was filed alleging that former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle had secretly recorded his ex-wife, Nicole Lunders Biffle, and her mother for two years and showed those recordings to other people. It was just this Monday that, after 12 days of testimony, a jury found that Biffle had, in fact, committed an "unlawful invasion of privacy." But here's the kicker: while Nicole Biffle sought $9 million in damages, the jury only awarded her $1.
When asked if they believed the recordings caused emotional distress to the plaintiffs, the jury responded "no." Biffle, who "denied doing anything inappropriate" during his testimony and claimed his ex-wife had known the bedroom and bathroom cameras were there, says this was extremely telling of his innocence.
"What the jury said sends a loud message that they don't believe there was wrongdoing," Biffle told WSOC-TV.
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According to Nicole Biffle's lawyer, Amy Simpson, in an email to the Charlotte Observer, the case "has never been about money for Ms. Biffle. It's been about holding Mr. Biffle accountable for the complete violation of her dignity and right to privacy that should be afforded all persons. And for that she's proud of the verdict against him."
However, Simpson also said that "the $1 in damages is perplexing given the gravity of Mr. Biffle's actions and the lengths he went to invade her privacy. But that is the verdict."
While Greg Biffle had contended in court that the cameras were in place to record maids who he thought were stealing from him, Nicole Biffle alleged that, as a result of the recordings, she "has suffered loss of appetite, loss of sleep, pain in her abdomen, emotional distress, worry, humiliation, fear ... and other anxiety-related conditions" and claimed her mother suffered from similar problems.
There is another hearing next Monday to consider rewarding additional damages to Nicole Biffle, which Simpson hopes will "adequately reflect the true severity of [Greg Biffle's] actions."
Having last driven in 2016, Greg Biffle began his NASCAR career in 1995. Last driving in the No. 16 Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing, Biffle had 19 Cup Series wins and 20 Xfinity wins during his career. He became the first of only three drivers to win a championship in both the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series, and the sixth of 29 drivers to win a race in each of NASCAR's three national series.