After 51 days of trial, Johnny Depp has won the lawsuit against Amber Heard for defamation.
After a divorce that they considered amicable, the problems began, since Amber Heard wrote an article in a famous newspaper where he accused Johnny Depp abuser although he did not mention his name. But after that, the actor’s career plummeted as he lost the role of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean in Disney and of Grindelwald in fantastic animals of Warner. That is why the libel suits began, first against another English newspaper and then against his own ex-wife. Now we have a verdict.
After deliberating for 13 hours over the course of three days, the jury awarded Johnny Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Although he originally asked for 50 million. While Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Penney Azcarate reduced the amount of punitive damages to 350,000, making his total award 10.4 million.
Amber Heard countersued for 100 million, saying that the ex-lawyer of Johnny Depp smeared her in 2020 to the Daily Mail when he called Heard’s spousal violence allegations a hoax. The jury agreed with her and awarded her 2 million in compensatory damages and 0 in punitive damages.
Statements by both upon knowing the verdict:
Amber Heard said: “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I am heartbroken that the mountain of evidence was still not enough to stand up to my ex-husband’s disproportionate power, influence and influence.”
“I am even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It’s a setback. It turns back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke up could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It pushes back the idea that violence against women should be taken seriously.”
“I believe that Johnny Depp’s lawyers succeeded in getting the jury to miss the key issue of free speech and to ignore evidence that was so compelling that we won in the UK.”
“I am sad because I lost this case. But I’m even sadder because I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American: to speak freely and openly.”
Johnny Depp said in a statement: «Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the life of my closest ones and also the life of the people who for many, many years have supported me and believed in me, changed forever. All in the blink of an eye.”
“False, very serious and criminal allegations were made against me through the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although I was never charged. I had already circled the globe twice in a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and career. And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly honored.”
“My decision to pursue this case, knowing full well the height of the legal hurdles I would face and the inevitable world spectacle in my life, was only made after much thought.”
“From the beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Telling the truth was something I owed to my children and to all those who have stood firm in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing that I’ve finally made it.”
“I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from all over the world. I hope that my quest for the truth to be told has helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those who support them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven otherwise, both within the courts and in the media.”
“I want to acknowledge the noble work of the judge, jurors, court staff and bailiffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me share the TRUE”.
The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun. Veritas numquam perit (The truth never perishes).
Thus ends the trial of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard that has given so much to talk about in recent days.