Amber Heard‘s lawyer has spoken out concerning the defamation lawsuit between her shopper and Johnny Depp, claiming the actor publicly “demonized” Heard, efficiently turning the courtroom into “a zoo.”
In an unique interview with NBC’s Right now present on Thursday, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft claimed that Depp and his authorized group had been efficiently in a position to suppress “an unlimited quantity of proof” that might have been useful to Heard within the trial.
On Wednesday, a jury in Fairfax, Va., dominated in favour of Depp, 58, deciding he had in reality been defamed by Heard, 36, on three counts, awarding him USD$15-million in damages. This quantity was later decreased by the decide to $10.35-million.
Heard was additionally awarded a partial win, receiving $2-million on a declare that Depp’s former lawyer and press agent defamed her when he known as her home abuse allegations towards the Pirates of the Caribbean actor “an abuse hoax” designed to capitalize on the #MeToo motion.
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Depp was not current in court docket when the decision was learn by the jury. Heard appeared in court docket alongside her authorized group.
Bredehoft informed the Right now present the very first thing Heard mentioned after receiving the decision was how “sorry” she was.
“One of many first issues she mentioned is, ‘I’m so sorry to all these girls on the market. It is a setback for all girls in and outdoors the courtroom.’ She feels the burden of that,” Bredehoft mentioned.
Bredehoft additionally highlighted that Depp had already offered this defamation trial in 2020 within the U.Okay., a case he misplaced when the London Excessive Court docket dominated that in 12 completely different situations Depp was a perpetrator of home violence towards Heard.
Heard’s lawyer claimed they weren’t allowed to tell the Virginia jury of the U.Okay. verdict.
Bredehoft mentioned due to the U.Okay. trial, Depp and his attorneys took an alternate method within the U.S., deciding this time to “demonize Amber and suppress the proof.” This proof, Bredehoft mentioned, included medical information from Heard’s therapist that allegedly detailed a sample of abuse going again to 2012, and a “important quantity of texts” from Depp and his staff admitting abuse towards Heard.
She claimed one of many texts from Depp’s assistant that she was unable to current in court docket defined that when Depp realized he had “kicked” Heard, he cried and was apologetic.
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“Quite a lot of issues had been allowed on this court docket that ought to not have been allowed, and it prompted the jury to be confused,” Bredehoft added.
She confirmed that Heard could be interesting the decision from this trial, including that she “has some glorious grounds for it.” She mentioned Heard is “completely not” in a position to pay the $10-million judgment.
She additionally spoke concerning the affect of social media on the trial, as the vast majority of discourse on-line was vehemently towards Heard.
For the reason that seven-member jury on this trial was not sequestered, Bredehoft appeared assured they should have seen conversations concerning the trial on-line and probably even had some of their real-life relationships.
“There’s no approach they couldn’t have been influenced by it, and it was horrible. It actually, actually was lopsided,” she mentioned of the general public’s response.
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Bredehoft concluded by saying this trial sends a “horrible message” to home abuse survivors within the U.S.
“Until you pull out your cellphone and also you video your partner or your important different beating you, successfully, you received’t be believed,” she mentioned.
The lawsuit put ahead by Depp revolved round a December 2018 op-ed Heard wrote in The Washington Put up describing herself as “a public determine representing home abuse.”
His attorneys say Depp’s life and profession had been devastated by the article, which didn’t say his identify.
Depp sued Heard for $50-million, whereas she filed a counterclaim for $100-million.
Of their verdict, the Fairfax County Circuit Court docket jury sided with Depp, believing he didn’t abuse Heard. The choice additionally signifies that Heard defamed Depp within the op-ed “with malice,” or understanding intent of a false declare.
Within the closing statements from Depp’s authorized group, one in every of his attorneys, Camille Vasquez, informed the jury that Heard had “falsely informed the world she was a sufferer of home violence by the hands of Mr. Depp.”
“What’s at stake on this trial is a person’s good identify,” Vasquez mentioned, including Depp’s life can be at stake within the trial.
Vasquez known as Heard “extremely aggressive, violent and merciless.” She additionally insisted Depp skilled “persistent and aggressive” abuse by the hands of his ex-wife.
Put up-verdict, Vasquez appeared outdoors the courthouse to thank the jury and mentioned the decision confirms that “the claims towards Johnny Depp are defamatory and unsupported by any proof.”
“We’re… so grateful to the jury for his or her cautious deliberation,” she informed reporters.
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