Update: After a brief delay, Johnny Depp won his defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, on Wednesday and was awarded $15 million in damages. Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages in his defamation suit. The seven-person jury awarded $2 million in compensatory damages to Heard but $0 in punitive damages.
Heard issued an official statement shortly after exiting the courtroom:
“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband. I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously. I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK. I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.”
Depp then issued a response to the verdict via his spokesperson:
Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.
All in the blink of an eye.
False, very serious, and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.
And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.
My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought.
From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.
I am and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media.
I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff, and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth.
The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.
Veritas numquam perit.
Truth never perishes.
Original Article:
After six grueling weeks of courtroom drama, a verdict in the case of Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard has been reached. The result of the $50 million defamation case was announced at noon PT today, with Judge Penney Azcarate presiding. Surprisingly, Johnny Depp was not present when the verdict was announced due to previously scheduled work commitments before the trial.
“Your presence shows where your priorities are,” a spokesperson for Heard said about Depp’s absence and the impression it leaves. “Johnny Depp plays guitar in the UK while Amber Heard waits for a verdict in Virginia. Depp is taking his snickering and lack of seriousness on tour.”
Not to be shamed, Depp’s team shared the following response, “Due to previously scheduled work commitments made before the trial, Mr. Depp will not be physically present for today’s 3pm verdict and will be watching from the United Kingdom,” a source close to the Hollywood Vampires (Depp’s band) told Deadline.
Per our previous article:
During Depp’s testimony on Wednesday, the actor stated that he helped secure Amber Heard’s role as Mera in the first Aquaman movie by personal speaking with Warner Bros. executives. Heard has consistently said that Depp has done nothing but damage her career, but this testimony implies that he did what he could with his level of clout to get her a significant role in a high-profile tentpole release.
According to Depp, Warner Bros. was concerned about Heard’s legal problems in Australia, where the film was set to be shot. Back in 2016, per The Hollywood Reporter, the actress was prosecuted in Australia for illegally bringing her dogs into the country. The charges were ultimately dropped in exchange for Heard pleading guilty to making a false customs declaration by stating she had no pets when she arrived.
Depp says after Heard auditioned for Aquaman, she was very anxious about the studio’s concerns over her legal problems in Australia, so she asked him to speak to Warner Bros. on her behalf. Depp said, “I made a phone call, and I spoke to three upper-echelon Warner executives, Kevin Tsujihara, Sue Kroll, and Greg Silverman. I can only say that, ultimately, she did get the job in the film. Hopefully, I had curbed the worries to some degree.” Heard had previously testified that Depp did not help her secure the roles, but his admission directly opposes her statements.
Depp also denied claims of taking ten MDMA pills. Heard made the allegations during her testimony to indicate that Depp was heavily addicted to drugs. The actress said in March 2015, while they were in Australia, Depp took eight to ten MDMA pills at once. After this, Heard alleged that the two got into a fight which led to Depp assaulting her with an alcohol bottle, with Depp ultimately slicing the tip of his finger off. When asked if he took eight to ten MDMA pills at once, Depp has a very matter-of-fact answer. The actor said, “No ma’am I have not,” and why his lawyer asked, “And why’s that?” Depp responded bluntly, “Cuz I’d be dead. I’m pretty sure I’d be dead. I think one would die, yes.”
Amber Heard’s return to the witness stand on Thursday was more about what this experience has done to her, even today. The actress expressed that she is harassed almost minute-to-minute regarding this case, and she says she has even received death threats daily. Heard also said that she suffers from daily trauma that requires special “rules” in her life to prevent anxiety attacks.
Heard was also asked what it was like for her during the trial, having her face accusations by Depp’s press agent that her abuse claims were a “hoax.” Here is what the actress had to say:
“I am harassed, threatened, humiliated…every single day. People want to kill me and they tell me so. Every day. People want to put my baby in the microwave. They tell me that. Johnny threatened – promised me – that if I ever left him, I’d make him think of him every single day that I lived.”
Today, spectators have gathered en masse around the courthouse to hear the verdict.