The rather infamous defamation case based on Johnny Depp and Amber Heard concluded on Wednesday. Johnny Depp had previously sued Amber Heard for $50 million, based on an article written by Amber heard in 2018 in the Washington Post.
The article indirectly accused Johnny Depp of emotional and domestic abuse concerning Amber Heard. Amber Heard had claimed herself to be a survivor of the abuse before their divorce in 2016. Heard later countersued Depp for $100 million for the damage. Social media had a lot to contribute regarding the case, people expressed their opinions, and the fans supported Depp throughout the difficult time.
Johnny Depp And Amber Heard
Depp and Heard first met in the movie “The Rum Diary,” set in 2009. They felt a connection between themselves; however, they were dating others. In 2012, both the actors suffered from a split from their partners, and the two decided to rekindle the attraction they felt toward each other in the beginning.
Eventually, they married each other in 2015. However, later on, both of them decided to divorce as Johnny Depp had allegedly physically abused Amber Heard while under the effect of drugs and alcohol.
The Verdict
The jury’s decision was in favor of Johnny Depp and awarded him $15 million in damages. $15 million is divided into 2 categories $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. The jury claimed that Heard had defamed Depp in 3 separate statements in the article.
According to the jury, heard was entitled to receive $2 million in compensatory damages after Depp defamed her through his attorney ($2 million in compensatory damages, no punitive damages).
Depp’s Reaction
The verdict filled Johnny Depp with joy. It was as if his life was restored, and everything could go back to normal for him. The significance of the truth prevailing itself was high for Johnny Depp. Amber Heard’s article in Washington Post had caused significant impairment to the actor’s career. His agent even claimed the article to be catastrophic to the actor’s career.
The defamation had also caused a loss of $23 million for Pirates of the Caribbean’s sequel. Not only financial loss, but the actor also claims that the accusations caused him to lose the love of his family and children. The article was difficult for the actor to process, and the trial had been exhausting.
Heard’s Reaction
The jury’s decision caused pain for Amber Heard, and she felt wronged. Amber Heard called out the court verdict to be a setback for the women who have suffered through mental and physical abuse at the hands of their partners. Furthermore, she said that we need to take the issue of violence against women more seriously.
According to her, Depp had once held her by her neck and claimed he could kill her and that she was an embarrassment to him. However, the jury claimed that there was insufficient evidence to back Amber Heard’s allegations.
