Actor Johnny Depp, who is famous for several world-class films, achieved a legal victory after a jury sided with him in the high-profile defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
The jury awarded the "Pirate of the Caribbean" actor $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. On the other hand, Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages and no punitive damages.
Depp vs Heard Defamation Trial Verdict
Virginia law states that punitive damages are capped at $350,000, which means that Depp will receive a total of $10.35 million. In a post on Instagram, the actor reacted to the verdict by saying, "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."
In a statement, Heard expressed her disappointment with the jury's verdict, saying that she was "heartbroken" that even the "mountain of evidence" was still not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of Depp. She claims that the verdict was a setback for other women, as per ABC News.
Heard said that Depp's attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of "Freedom of Speech'' and ignored evidence that won her case in the UK. The actress said that the result of the defamation trial means she lost her right as an American to speak freely and openly.
Depp said that six years ago, the lives of his children and him, and those closest to him, were forever changed. He said that the recent verdict means that the jury has given him his life back, saying that he was "truly humbled."
According to NBC News, the actor said that his decision to pursue the defamation case, despite the height of the legal hurdles and worldwide spectacle in his life, was only made after considerable thought. Depp said that the goal of the case was always to reveal the truth and said that speaking the truth was something that he owed to his children and the people who have remained steadfast in their support of him.
Giving Back Depp's Life
Legal analyst Joey Jackson said that the verdict was a "tremendous" legal win for Depp and a repudiation for Heard. They said that what they had to overcome was a First Amendment issue that meant everyone had a right to express their thoughts and opinions.
The verdict means that the jury said while one has such rights, people do not have First Amendment rights if they say something that is false that injures someone's reputation and causes damages to them in their industry. A spokesman for Heard, David Shane, said that the actress plans to appeal the verdict.
In the courtroom as the verdict was read, Heard kept her eyes down but Depp was not present in the room. On Wednesday, the actor's attorneys thanked the jury and said that it was time to turn the page and look to the future, CNN reported.
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