The jury in the case of Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard ruled that she should pay him $ 15 million for defamation. The jury ruled that Hurd slandered her ex-husband Johnny Depp after a widely covered six-week trial that included conclusive and clear evidence and testimony describing the former Hollywood couple’s deteriorating relationship.
Depp, the 58-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star, sued Hurd for $ 50 million, claiming she damaged his reputation by calling him a “public figure in domestic violence” in front of a newspaper. Hurd, 36, has filed a $ 100 million counterclaim, claiming that Depp used violence against her, and his lawyer called the allegations “fraud.” Depp denied hitting Hurd or any other woman and said she was the one who abused them during the relationship.
Amber Heard admitted in court that she lied under oath
Depp and Hurd met in 2011 during the filming of “The Rum Diary” and were married in February 2015. Their divorce was finalized about two years later.
At the heart of the lawsuit is Hurd’s December 2018 article in the Washington Post about domestic violence. Depp is not mentioned directly in the article, but his lawyer told the jury that it was clear that Hurd meant him.
During the six weeks of testimony, Hurd’s lawyers claimed that she had told the truth and that her comments were covered by the First Amendment to the US Constitution regarding freedom of speech.
Johnny Depp: Amber ruined my career
During the trial, jurors listened to recordings of the couple’s scandals and saw photos of Depp’s bloody finger. He said the top of his finger was cut when Hurd threw a bottle of vodka at him in 2015. Hurd denied injuring Depp’s finger and said he sexually assaulted her that night, and she hit him just to protect myself.
The testimony was broadcast live on social media, attracting a large audience who heard details about the couple’s troubled relationship.
Once one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Depp said Hurd’s accusations cost him “everything.” The new Pirates of the Caribbean movie has been postponed and Depp has been replaced in the Fantastic Beasts movie franchise.
Depp lost a defamation lawsuit less than two years ago against The Sun, a British tabloid that called him a “woman beater.” A judge at the London Supreme Court ruled that he had repeatedly attacked Hurd.
Depp’s lawyers filed the U.S. lawsuit in Fairfax County, Virginia, because the Washington Post was printed there. The newspaper is not accused in the case.
“I am extremely disappointed with the court’s verdict,” Hurd said minutes after the trial. “The disappointment I feel is indescribable. I am saddened that the mountain of documents and evidence was not enough to withstand the power and influence of my ex-husband. I am even more disappointed with what this sentence means to other women. This is a failure … It destroys the view that violence against women is something serious, “Hurd was quoted as saying by BGNES.
Depp welcomed the decision. “The jury brought my life back. “I am satisfied,” said Depp, who was not present in the courtroom at the time of sentencing. “From the very beginning, the purpose of this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome,” he added.
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