Johnny Depp Wins Defamation Case Against Ex-Wife Amber Heard

Johnny Depp has won his defamation case against Amber Heard.

Depp, 55, was embroiled in a US$100 million (S$137 mil) lawsuit with his ex-wife — in which the Pirates of the Caribbean star initially sued Heard for US$50 million in a defamation trial over a 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post titled 'I Spoke Up Against Sexual Violence — And Faced Our Culture’s Wrath. That Has to Change' in which she recalled being a victim of alleged domestic abuse.

However, the Aquaman star countersued him for US$100 million because she did not mention him by name — and the verdict was eventually read out at Fairfax County Court in Virginia on Wednesday (June 1) when it was found that Heard's piece was "intended" to be defamatory towards her ex-husband and that she acted "with malice".

The seven-person jury — five men and two women — has awarded Depp US$10 million in compensatory damages and US$5 million in punitive damages and found that two out of three of Heard's counter defamation claims against Depp were unproven and answered "yes" to all questions asked.

The jury frontperson said: "The defamatory implication was designed and intended by Ms Heard. Answer, yes. It conveyed a defamatory implication to someone who saw it other than Mr Depp. Answer, yes.

Do you find that Ms Heard acted with actual malice? Answer yes. As against Amber Heard, we the jury award damages in the amount of $10 million and we the jury award punitive damages of $5 million."

The jury went on to find that the accusations made against Depp — who was not present for the verdict due to "previously scheduled work commitments" — had been an "ambush" and a "hoax" and that the Edward Scissorhands star had been "set up" by his ex-wife and her friends.

The jury frontperson continued: "As to this statement 'Amber Heard and her friends in the media used fake sexual violence accusations as both a sword and shield depending on their needs, inflicting them on the public and Mr Depp.' Yes. Quite simply, this was a hoax. ambush, a hoax.

"They set Mr. Depp up by calling the cops but the first attempt didn’t do the trick. The officers came to the penthouses, thoroughly searched and interviewed, and left after seeing no damage to face or property. So, Amber and her friends spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight under the direction of a lawyer and publicist, and then placed a second call to 911."

The jury also awarded Heard US$2 million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim.

In concluding the trial, Judge Penney Azcarate said: "In accordance with law I will amend [Mr Depp's punitive compensation] to the statutory cap to $350,000. Thank you to the attorneys for your professionalism. Court is adjourned."

Celebrating the trial verdict, Depp issued a lengthy statement (per Variety): 

Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.

All in the blink of an eye.

False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.

And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.

My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought.

From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.

I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media.

I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth.

The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.

Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes.

Heard issued a statement as well.

“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” she wrote. “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.”

Heard continued, “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.”

“I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the U.K.,” Heard concluded. “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