Amber Heard Plans To Appeal Court Ruling In Johnny Depp Defamation Case

Amber Heard plans to appeal the ruling in her defamation case against Johnny Depp.

Heard, 36, was found by a jury on Wednesday (June 1) in Fairfax, Virginia, to have defamed her ex-husband with an article in which she claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse — but Heard now intends to appeal the outcome of the trial, after Depp was awarded US$15 million (S$20.6 mil) in compensatory and punitive damages.

Alafair Hall, a spokesperson for the Aquaman star, confirmed her intention to appeal to The New York Times newspaper.

However, at this moment, it's not clear on what grounds she plans to appeal. Heard would need to prove that there were errors in the trial or in the judge's reading of the law in order to be granted an appeal.

Heard won one of three counter-claims against her ex-husband and was awarded US$2 million in compensatory damages.

The actress released a statement after the court case, admitting to being "heartbroken" by the decision.

She said: "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."

She also claimed that the jury overlooked "the key issue of freedom of speech".

She added: "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." — BANG SHOWBIZ