Hill was cleared on eight other claims brought by Lakeeta Vaccaro, and jurors did not award punitive damages.
A Miami jury delivered a mixed verdict in the civil battery case against former NFL receiver Tyreek Hill, finding him liable for two counts of battery while clearing him on the remaining eight claims brought by his estranged wife, Lakeeta Vaccaro.
Jurors awarded Vaccaro $500,000 in compensatory damages. They did not award punitive damages, a detail that stands out given battery is classified as an intentional tort. Under Florida law, proving intentional misconduct for punitive damages requires "clear and convincing evidence," a higher bar than the "preponderance of the evidence" standard that can support a basic battery finding. That distinction may explain why jurors found Hill responsible for battery without tacking on punitive damages.
The case drew wide attention given Hill's profile as a prominent NFL receiver. With the verdict now in, the compensatory award to Vaccaro stands at $500,000 while the bulk of her original claims against Hill were rejected.