Amber Heard Set To Appeal Her Loss To Johnny Depp
It looks like the battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp is far from over with the former set to appeal the most recent ruling.
For almost two months, people watched in morbid fascination as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard did battle in court. The Pirates of the Caribbean star was suing his former wife for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. She countersued for $100 million. When the jury ruled in favor of Depp, it seemed like the ordeal was finally over. But the Aquaman star is planning to appeal the verdict.
Although both parties were found liable for defamation, Depp was awarded significantly more in damages. The jury found that all three statements from Amber Heard’s op-ed were false, defamed her husband, and were made with actual malice. As such, he was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages from his ex-wife. For her countersuit, which argued she was defamed for her alleged attempt to capitalize on the #MeToo movement, Heard succeeded on only one count and was awarded $2 million. And zero in punitive damages.
Now, during an appearance on Today, Amber Heard’s lawyer explained why the actress is appealing the decision. She said Johnny Depp’s legal team worked to demonize his former wife and was able to suppress important evidence. “An enormous amount of evidence that would have helped Heard’s case was suppressed during the trial,” Elaine Charlson Bredehoft said. She also said several things were allowed in court that shouldn’t have seen the light of day, and it caused the jury to be confused.
Bredehoft also shared her belief that the online lynching Amber Heard received during the trial probably influenced the jury. According to Variety, social media was largely on Johnny Depp’s side, as evidenced by the viral TikTok trend where people mocked Heard’s testimonies. Although jurors were not supposed to expose themselves to media coverage of the trial, she said it was inevitable. They went home every night and had family on social media. She also blamed the 10-day judicial conference break for the media breach.
“There is no way they couldn’t have been influenced by it [social media],” Bredehoft told the publication. She also described the coverage as being extremely lopsided, paining Depp as the hero and Amber Heard as the villain. For that reason, the lawyer was against cameras in the courtroom and went on record, arguing against it due to the sensitive nature of the case. She claims that all the outside interference turned the ordeal into a zoo.
During the trial, Johnny Depp said he never hit or sexually abused his wife, arguing that she was the one who became violent during their relationship. Amber Heard said she had slapped her husband, but only in defense of herself or her sister. After the jury announced their verdict, Depp released a statement saying they gave him his life back. “From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome,” he wrote. He added that speaking the truth was something he owed to his children and to everyone who remained steadfast in their support. “I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that,” he said.
