The Oscar-winning actor has just won the $10 million lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard. Heard’s lawyers claim that she had the right to speak out about domestic violence in their relationship and are supporting Johnny on social media. Fans of Depp are standing by him, rallying to his side. This case could go either way, but many are hoping that Johnny Depp will prevail. Read on to find out how the case will end.
Johnny Depp wins lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard
A recent legal ruling sided with Johnny Depp in his divorce case with Amber Heard. The actor had accused his ex-wife of domestic abuse, which she denied. Heard said that Depp abused her in bed and faked bleeding injuries in order to win the case. The ruling is expected to be announced soon. In the meantime, the lawsuit is proceeding in California. Read on to learn more about the ruling.
During the trial, the jury found that Heard had defamed Depp through her statements, and a counterclaim was filed against her. Despite the jury’s decision, Depp will now have to pay Amber Heard $2 million. Though Depp had hoped to get back his reputation, the entire affair turned out to be a public spectacle. Fans had queued overnight to get a seat in the courtroom. The actress, who is also Depp’s ex-wife, was stoic when the jury announced its verdict.
Oscar-winning actor awarded $10 million in damages
The lawsuit against Oscar-winning actor Depp Heard was dismissed by a Virginia court Wednesday, but the award comes with a significant twist. Depp was not present in the courtroom on Wednesday, but his legal team argued that Heard did not violate the First Amendment in her speech. Both sides argued that their words were protected by the First Amendment and that the word “wife-beater” should be removed from the article.
In the lawsuit, Amber Heard sued her ex-husband for defamation. In June 2018, she published a controversial op-ed about her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse. In that op-ed, she implied that Depp abused her and negatively affected his career. Amber Heard counterclaimed for $100 million, and the jury found that Depp had defamed her on all counts. In total, Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. In Virginia, punitive damages are limited to $350,000, so the award for Depp was considerably higher than the sum of her damages.
Heard’s lawyers argue she had a right to speak out about domestic violence
The Hollywood actress testified that she had no desire to be with Johnny Depp and was not attracted to his personality. However, her testimony was corroborated by Travis McGivern, who testified that he saw Heard spit and throw a Red Bull can at him. Despite being in the middle of the argument, Depp did not retaliate. Afterward, McGivern said Heard called him a f**king c**t.
The two started dating in 2009 and got married in 2015. Heard filed for divorce in May 2016, alleging that Depp had been abusive. She was granted a restraining order against the actor after reporting assaults by him. However, the A.C.L.U. conspired with Heard to make it clear that her statements were about Johnny Depp, and he was not named as a defendant in the case.
Fans of Depp rally behind him on social media
As his legal team tries to prove that Amber Heard was not the victim of sexual assault, fans of Johnny Depp are rallying behind him on social media. The #justicefordepp hashtag has garnered over 7.5 billion views and the #amberheardissalaam has gained 1.2 billion views. Fans of both men and women are sharing a similar image – a smiling Depp with a smirk on his face. Amber Heard has also accused Depp of psychologically intimidating her.
The popularity of Depp’s Facebook page is not a coincidence. It is a trend that has been observed over the years, as many celebrities are embracing social media. For instance, the r/PiratesOfTheCaribbean community is overrun with discussions about Depp’s trial. Despite the widespread support for Depp on social media, experts don’t think there’s a single explanation for this phenomenon.
Reaction to verdict
After the trial concluded, the jury returned its verdict on the defamation case against Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. The jury ruled that the headline of Heard’s article is defamatory, while the statement itself is not. This was a clear mistake by Depp’s lawyers, who argued that the op-ed did damage Mr. Depp’s career. During the trial, both sides presented witnesses to support their positions.
During the trial, details of the disintegrating marriage, drug use, and accusations of physical abuse were publicly revealed. A vast amount of evidence was presented to the jury, including audio recordings and text messages from both parties. The trial also included a lawsuit filed by Depp against Heard for an op-ed she wrote in the Washington Post in December 2018 calling for change in the way abuse survivors are treated in the U.S. and to support the Violence Against Women Act.