A Miami-Dade County jury found former NFL receiver Tyreek Hill liable for two counts of battery against his ex-wife, Lakeeta Vaccaro, awarding her $500,000 in damages. Hill was found not liable on the remaining eight counts, including assault and emotional distress.
A Miami-Dade County jury returned a mixed verdict on Tuesday in the civil battery trial involving former NFL wide receiver Tyreek Hill and his ex-wife, Lakeeta Vaccaro. The jury found Hill liable for two separate counts of battery, awarding Vaccaro $500,000 in compensatory damages. However, the jury found Hill not liable on the remaining eight counts, which included one count of assault, one count of intentional emotional distress, one count of continuing domestic violence, and four other counts of battery.
According to Fox News, Vaccaro's legal team had previously agreed to the dismissal of another battery count before the final deliberations. The verdict represents a partial victory for the plaintiff, as the $500,000 award falls short of the potential maximums often sought in such cases, but it establishes a legal finding of liability under the preponderance of the evidence standard for the two specific incidents.
Notably, the jury did not award any punitive damages. As reported by NBC Sports, this outcome is legally significant because Florida law requires "clear and convincing evidence" of intentional misconduct to award punitive damages. The jury's decision suggests they may have found the evidence sufficient for compensatory damages under the lower "preponderance" standard but insufficient to meet the higher bar for punitive penalties.
The civil verdict has immediate implications for Hill's standing in the NFL. The league is currently conducting a review under its Personal Conduct Policy based on the allegations originally filed in the divorce proceedings. While a civil verdict does not automatically trigger disciplinary action, the finding of liability on two counts could influence the league's investigation and potentially affect Hill's marketability to other teams. The NFL will continue its own independent investigation through the collectively-bargained process to determine if any policy violations occurred.
Hill, who played for the Miami Dolphins, faces an uncertain future as the legal and league reviews proceed. The mixed verdict highlights the complexity of civil trials involving multiple counts, where juries may find liability on specific incidents while clearing the defendant on others.