Anyone who has followed the Johnny Depp versus Amber heard trial knows that it’s been a rollercoaster of a high-profile case – almost as curious as the films the actors have starred in. However, the verdict is in, the jurors have decided, and Mr.Depp was ultimately sided with in the defamation case – but it’s slightly more complex than this.
For those who aren’t in the loop, Depp and Heard got married in 2015, but the relationship was far from smooth sailing, with the two splitting up in 2016. Heard wrote a piece in 2018 for the Washington Post that claimed Depp had abused her, without naming him directly. The implications of this piece would change Depp’s life completely, but was attacked as defamation by Depp’s lawsuit.
The trial between the former flames began on April 11, whereby the entire run of their complicated marriage unfolded before the court and public.
On Wednesday, 1 June, the jury found that Depp was defamed, and awarded him $1 million in “compensatory and punitive damages,” as the New York Times reports, but this number actually turned out to be $10.35 million due to legal limits. Heard was found to have defamed Depp in three separate statements citing back to her Washington Post writings. It was found that Heard’s statements were false, and her actions were premised with malice as the BBC reports.
Heard however did not come out empty-handed, with the jury finding that Depp had defamed Heard in one statement, resulting in Heard winning just one claim and awarded $2 million for compensatory damages.
Of the victory, Depp said in a statement that “the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled,” while Heard expressed that she is “heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough.”
It’s said that Heard plans to appeal the decision.
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