Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial verdict: Jury awards millions of dollars to both actors

A jury on Wednesday dominated in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit in opposition to ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Depp earlier than and through their transient marriage.The jury additionally present in favor of Heard, who mentioned she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer when he known as her abuse allegations a hoax.

Jury members discovered Depp needs to be awarded $10.35 million in damages, whereas Heard ought to obtain $2 million.

The verdicts deliver an finish to a televised trial that Depp had hoped would assist restore his status, although it changed into a spectacle of a vicious marriage. physique. All through the trial, followers — overwhelmingly on Depp’s facet — lined up in a single day for coveted courtroom seats. Spectators who couldn’t get in gathered on the road to cheer Depp and jeer Heard every time both appeared exterior.

Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court docket over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Put up describing herself as “a public determine representing home abuse.” His legal professionals mentioned he was defamed by the article though it by no means talked about his identify.

Whereas the case was ostensibly about libel, many of the testimony centered on whether or not Heard had been bodily and sexually abused, as she claimed. Heard enumerated greater than a dozen alleged assaults, together with a struggle in Australia — the place Depp was taking pictures a “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel — wherein Depp misplaced the tip of his center finger and Heard mentioned she was sexually assaulted with a liquor bottle.