Actress Amber Heard defamed her ex-husband Johnny Depp by describing herself as a victim of domestic violence, the jury of a US court concluded on Wednesday June 1 after a high-profile trial that offered a dive in the intimacy of the two Hollywood stars.
After 13 hours of deliberation, the jury agreed with Johnny Depp. The jury has decided to find Amber Heard guilty of defamation “with willful intent” and malicious intent against Johnny Depp. The actor will receive financial compensation of $15 million. However, the seven jurors also found that Johnny Depp had defamed Amber Heard, allocating to her $2 million financial compensation.
The two actors were quick to publish their first reactions following the verdict.
Two rooms, two atmospheres
The 36-year-old actress, present in court, welcomed the verdict with a serious face, seeming to accuse the blow. She confided her “inexpressible disappointment” in a press release. “I am devastated that the mountain of evidence was not sufficient to address the far greater power, influence and ascendancy of my ex-husband,” she said. . “I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It’s a setback. This challenges the idea that violence against women should be taken seriously.“
Absent from the courtroom, Johnny Depp reacted to him in the form of a message posted on Instagram. “The jury brought me back to life“, he welcomed. And to add: “Six years ago, my life, the life of my children and the people around me changed forever. False, very serious and criminal charges have been leveled against me in the media, while no official charges have ever been leveled against me.”
“From the beginning, my goal was to get the truth out. Telling the truth was something I promised my children and the people who continued to believe in me. Now that the truth is out, I’m finally at peace. “, continued the actor.
The origins of the lawsuit
As a reminder, a column published in 2018, where Amber Heard evokes domestic violence without mentioning the name of Johnny Depp. The 58-year-old actor, who has always denied the violence against his ex-wife, felt targeted and immediately filed a defamation complaint, claiming the tidy sum of $ 50 million in damages.
In return, Amber Heard also filed a complaint for the same reasons, claiming 100 million dollars. The damages received by both are therefore far from these amounts.
