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The jury has returned a verdict in favor of Johnny Depp in his $50-million defamation trial towards his ex-wife Amber Heard.
The jury dominated that Heard defamed Depp with malicious intent in a 2018 Washington Submit op-ed claiming that she was a sufferer of home abuse.
Depp was awarded $15-million in complete – $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
The jury additionally awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages, ruling that Depp’s lawyer Adam Waldman defamed her when he known as her abuse claims “a hoax” in a British newspaper.
Amber Heard arrives to listen to the decision within the Depp v. Heard trial on the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on June 1, 2022.
Brendam Smialowski / Getty Photos
Depp, who’s out touring, didn’t seem within the courtroom for the decision. Heard, nonetheless, was in attendance and appeared stoic as the decision was learn.
“The frustration I really feel immediately is past phrases,” Amber Heard mentioned in a press release following the decision. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of proof nonetheless was not sufficient to face as much as the disproportionate energy, affect, and sway of my ex-husband.
“I’m much more dissatisfied with what this verdict means for different girls. It’s a setback. It units again the clock to a time when a lady who spoke up and spoke out might be publicly shamed and humiliated. It units again the concept that violence towards girls is to be taken severely,” Heard continued.
“I’m unhappy I misplaced this case. However I’m sadder nonetheless that I appear to have misplaced a proper I assumed I had as an American – to talk freely and overtly,” the assertion concluded.
Followers collect outdoors the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on June 1, 2022, after a verdict was reached within the Depp v. Heard defamation trial.
Nicholas Kamm / Getty Photos
Depp additionally launched his personal assertion: “Six years in the past, my life, the lifetime of my kids, the lives of these closest to me, and in addition, the lives of the folks, who for a lot of, a few years have supported and believed me have been ceaselessly modified. All within the blink of an eye fixed,” he wrote.
“False, very severe and prison allegations have been levied at me through the media, which triggered an infinite barrage of hateful content material, though no costs have been ever introduced towards me. It had already travelled all over the world twice inside a nanosecond and it had a seismic affect on my life and my profession,” he continued.
“And 6 years later, the jury gave me my life again. I’m actually humbled.
“From the very starting, the objective of bringing this case was to disclose the reality, whatever the final result. Talking the reality was one thing that I owed to my kids and to all those that have remained steadfast of their assist of me. I really feel at peace figuring out I’ve lastly completed that.”
Depp’s lawyer, Camille 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.
One other Depp lawyer, Benjamin Chew, mentioned his staff was “most happy that the trial has resonated for thus many individuals within the public who worth fact and justice”.
“Now that the jury has reached its conclusive verdict, it’s time to show the web page and look to the longer term,” he added.
Regardless of testimony on the trial that he might be violent, abusive and uncontrolled, Depp acquired a standing ovation Tuesday night time in London after performing for about 40 minutes with Jeff Beck on the Royal Albert Corridor. He has beforehand toured with Joe Perry and Alice Cooper because the group Hollywood Vampires.
Amber Heard departs the Fairfax County Courthouse on June 1, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. The jury within the Depp vs. Heard case awarded actor Johnny Depp $15 million in his defamation case towards Heard.
Win McNamee / Getty Photos
The trial, which passed off over six weeks, noticed the actors and ex-spouses competing by way of their authorized groups to color the opposite as an aggressive abuser of their relationship, all whereas sustaining they have been the true sufferer.
Depp, 58, sued Heard, 36, for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court docket over an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Submit describing herself as “a public determine representing home abuse.”
Learn extra:
Johnny Depp, Amber Heard fates now lie in palms of the jury as deliberations start
Although Heard by no means named Depp within the article, his attorneys nonetheless claimed it had devastating results on his profession, popularity and private life.
“Your presence exhibits the place your priorities are,” mentioned a spokesperson for Heard. “Johnny Depp performs guitar within the UK whereas Amber Heard waits for a verdict in Virginia. Depp is taking his snickering and lack of seriousness on tour.”
Of their closing statements on Could 27, each groups pressed the jury to discover a verdict of their favour.
This mixture of two separate pictures exhibits actors Johnny Depp, left, and Amber Heard within the courtroom for closing arguments on the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on Friday, Could 27, 2022. (AP Images/Steve Helber, Pool).
Crew Depp insisted Heard lied each in public and in her testimony, claiming she created a false narrative that made Depp seem like an alcoholic, drug-addicted “monster.” In his testimony, Depp mentioned he had by no means had any substance abuse points (except for Roxicodone, which he claims he’s now not hooked on).
He claimed all through that he has by no means hit a lady in his life.
Throughout the trial, jurors heard a number of graphic descriptions of alleged assault from each events, together with a now-infamous declare from Depp that Heard severed the tip of his finger with a glass bottle.
Heard’s model of the story held that whereas she couldn’t say for sure how Depp misplaced the digit, she was a sufferer of quite a few assaults at his hand, together with an alleged sexual assault.
Depp’s attorneys claimed Heard’s accounts of violent bodily, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse have been all fictitious and for private monetary and profession acquire.
Camille Vasquez, a lawyer for Depp, informed the jury of their closing statements that Heard didn’t simply desire a divorce from Depp in 2016, she wished to break him.
One other Depp lawyer, Benjamin Chew, informed the jury earlier than deliberation that Depp “didn’t and doesn’t should have his life, his legacy, destroyed by some lie.”
Learn extra:
Amber Heard takes stand once more in Johnny Depp defamation trial: ‘Folks wish to kill me they usually inform me so every single day’
Alternatively, Heard’s attorneys insisted Depp filed this lawsuit as a part of a “smear marketing campaign” to break Heard’s popularity and profession whereas disputing her claims of home violence towards him.
They insisted the Washington Submit article was “not a success piece on Johnny Depp,” additionally calling the actions of his staff “disgusting” and “sufferer blaming.”
“Mr. Depp can merely not show to you that he by no means abused Amber,” Heard’s attorneys informed the jury.
Each Depp and Heard testified quite a few occasions all through the trial. The actors individually insisted the authorized course of has been emotional and embarrassing to endure on such a public degree.
Depp initially sued Heard for USD$50 million in damages. Heard countersued her ex for $100 million.
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