The civil trial jury awarded Depp $15 million in damages, including $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. The jury, however, awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages after finding that Depp’s former attorney, Adam Waldman, made defamatory remarks about the Aquaman actress.
In his statement following the jury’s decision on Wednesday, Heard said: “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I am heartbroken that the mountain of evidence was still not enough to withstand to the disproportionate power, influence and influence of my ex-husband.
“I’m even more disappointed in what this verdict means for other women. It’s a setback. It sets the clock back to a time when a woman who spoke out and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. push back the idea that violence against women should be taken seriously.
“I believe Johnny’s lawyers were successful in getting the jury to ignore the key free speech issue and ignore the evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.” According to the news, Depp sued the Sun newspaper and its parent company in the UK in 2020 after publishing an article calling him a “wife beater”.
In that case, Heard testified in court and a judge eventually ruled the article to be “substantially true”, stating that 12 of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence occurred.
“I’m sad to have lost this case. But I’m even sadder to have lost a right that I thought I had as an American: to speak freely and openly,” Heard said.
The dramatic trial began in April in Fairfax, Virginia. Depp sued his ex-wife for $50 million in the Washington Post’s December 2018 editorial. Heard described herself as “a public figure representing domestic violence” in the op-ed. Depp’s lawyers claim the article defamed him despite never mentioning his name.
Depp and Heard both testified that the other abused them.
Depp also posted a statement on Instagram after the verdict, writing, “The jury gave my life back to me.”
While the jury recommended Depp be awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, the judge ruled that punitive damages were capped at $350,000 under the law. from the state, so Depp’s award would total $10.35 million.
