NEW YORK: Donald Trump`s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has agreed to hand over his Mercedes to settle $148 million in damages owed to two election workers he defamed in 2020, but is holding on to a collectible baseball jersey, his lawyer said.

Giuliani, a key figure in the former Republican president`s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, was ordered to compensate election worker Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea `Shaye` Moss in Dec 2023.

Giuliani filed for bankruptcy afterwards but was ordered by a federal judge in New York last month to surrender part of his assets, including his New York apartment, a 1980 Mercedes Benz, jewelry, numerous luxury watches, and collectible items.

In a letter to the New York judge on Friday, his lawyer stated that Rudy Giuliani had begun complying by handing over the watches, a ring, and the Mercedes that same day.

However, he argued that some items should be exempt from the courtordered seizure, particularly a jersey signed by baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.

The lawyer also requested that a court appearance scheduled for Jan 16 be postponed until Jan 22 so that Giuliani could attend Donald Trump`s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States on January 20. Giuliani was judged guilty of defaming the two women as they took part in a vote count in the swing state of Georgia after the presidential election in 2020.

Using a video showing the two women passing an object later revealed to be a mint the former New York mayor and prosecutor had claimed they were exchanging a USB drive `like vials of heroin or cocaine` to rig the results.

Freeman and Moss, who are Black, told the jury during the defamation trial that Giuliani`s false accusations had upended their lives and made them the target of racist threats.-AFP