Johnny Depp, a well-known American actor, won a high-profile defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, on Wednesday.
Last Friday, a jury in Fairfax, Virginia, began deliberate on the case.
After writing an op-ed for ‘The Washington Post’ in 2018, Depp sued Heard for USD 50 million, claiming she was a “public figure symbolising domestic abuse.” Heard countersued Depp for USD 100 million, claiming that throughout their 15-month marriage, she was subjected to domestic violence.
Johnny Depp has been awarded USD 15 million in damages by a jury. Amber Heard has also won a portion of her libel action against Johnny Depp, which stemmed from pieces in a privately held publication in which Johnny Depp’s previous lawyer called her domestic abuse accusations a fake.
Amber Heard was granted USD 2 million in damages by the jury.
Johnny Depp issued an official statement on his Instagram account shortly after the judgement was announced, which stated, “My life, the lives of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and the lives of those who have supported and believed in me for many years were irrevocably changed six years ago. Everything happened in the blink of an eye.”
“False, severe, and criminal claims were made about me in the media, resulting in a never-ending bombardment of nasty information, despite the fact that no charges were ever filed against me. It had already travelled twice around the world in a millisecond and had a profound influence on my life and career. Six years later, the jury returned my life to me. I’m genuinely humbled “Depp penned the script.
“My choice to pursue this lawsuit, knowing well well the magnitude of the legal challenges I would face and the inevitable global attention it would bring to my life, was decided after much deliberation. The purpose of pursuing this lawsuit from the start was to uncover the truth, regardless of the outcome. I owed it to my children and all those who have remained strong in their support for me to tell the truth. I’m relieved that I’ve finally completed that task “According to Depp.
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“I am, and have been, astounded by the outpouring of love and the enormous support and kindness from all across the world,” Depp said. I hope that my quest for the truth has aided others, both men and women, who have found themselves in similar situations, and that those who support them never give up. I also hope that, both in the courts and in the media, the stance will henceforth be “innocent until proven guilty.” I wiI’d want to thank the Judge, the jury, the court staff, and the Sheriffs for their selfless efforts in getting us to this point, as well as my dedicated and unshakeable legal team for assisting me in sharing the truth.”
The best is yet to come, according to Depp, and a new chapter has finally begun. “Numquam perit veritas.” “Truth never dies,” he asserted.
Heard, on the other hand, expressed unhappiness with the decision. She wrote a letter on Twitter that said, “The disappointment I’m experiencing tonight is indescribable. I’m devastated that the weight of evidence was insufficient to overcome my ex-enormous husband’s power, influence, and persuasion. I’m even more dissatisfied with the implications of this decision for other women. It’s a stumbling block. It turns the clock back to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out might be publically humiliated and disgraced. It undermines the notion that women’s violence should be treated seriously.”
“I believe Johnny’s lawyers were successful in persuading the jury to overlook the crucial issue of freedom of speech and to disregard evidence that was so clear that we were successful in the UK. I’m disappointed that I didn’t win this case. But I’m even more disappointed that I appear to have lost a freedom that I thought I had as an American: the ability to talk freely and honestly “she stated
Depp and Heard married in a very secret ceremony in their Los Angeles home in 2015 after dating for several years. Heard filed for divorce from Depp on May 23, 2016, and secured a temporary restraining order against the Oscar nominee. She said Depp had physically abused her during their relationship, and that it happened most often while he was high on drugs or alcohol.
Bengali