CelebritiesThe jury in the trial of Johnny Depp (58) against Amber Heard (36) broke up yesterday without reaching a unanimous decision. Talks resume today, but the seven jurors needed some additional clarification from the judge yesterday, Deadline writes.
–
The seven jury members – five men and two women – already deliberated on Friday. But the more than nine-hour talks have so far not yielded a decision, so talks will resume on Wednesday morning.
–
Additional question about essay
That additional question revolved around the article that Amber Heard wrote for the Washington Post – the article that is actually the center of the entire lawsuit. The title of that piece, which appeared in December 2018, was ‘I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.’ Which means, “I spoke out against sexual assault, and I felt the full force of our culture’s resentment. That has to change.” The case largely revolves around whether that sentence is defamatory. But the judges wanted to know whether in this case they should consider only the title of the piece, or the entire article.
–
“I think there was confusion because the statement in question is the title of the essay,” Judge Penney Azcarate said. “I think they were confused about whether the entire essay or just the title is the statement. It is clear here that the title is the statement.” The title is one of three rulings of relevance in this case. Also ‘Then two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out’ felt the full force of our culture’s wrath on women who open their mouths’) and ‘I had the vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse’ (‘I could see in real time how institutions protecting men accused of abuse’) are important in the case.
–
–
Johnny Depp’s lawyers also made themselves heard on Tuesday. They filed a motion to have a comment removed from the closing speech of one of Amber Heard’s lawyers. In it, he said the jury’s decision would send a message to all victims of domestic violence. He is said to have told the jury on Friday that if they vote against Heard, they would let the world know that victims of domestic violence are only believed if they show no flaws at all. Depp’s team found it unacceptable that Heard’s lawyers were raising a broader social issue while the jury decides only on this specific case. In the motion, which local news channel Fox5 DC brought out, the lawyers call the passage from the closing argument an inappropriate argument. However, the judge rejected their motion, because the jury is already deliberating in the case.
–
Complicated? Not really: around these few words Johnny Depp’s trial revolves
–
–
Jury in Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial separates without decision. Deliberation continues today
–
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
–
–
