Lifestyle
For the past seven weeks, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have been embroiled in a civil lawsuit against one another.
The case took place in Fairfax County, Virginia where Depp sued Heard, his ex-wife, for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote back in 2018 for The Washington Post claiming she was a domestic abuse victim. The article did not directly name Depp as the individual, but it was implied given the timing of the story following the couple’s divorce. Depp claimed this cost him a number of high-profile roles in moves, thus affecting his income.
Meanwhile, Heard countersued her ex-husband, whom she was married to from 2015 to 2017, for $100 million for accusing her of making false allegations.
Over the past few weeks, private matters between Depp and Heard have been laid bare for public consumption as the civil suit has caused a media storm around the globe.
The Verdict
On Wednesday, June 1, 2022, the jury found Heard guilty of all three counts of defamation following the publishing of her Washington Post article. The judge ordered Heard to pay her ex-husband a total of $15 million in damages – $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
Meanwhile, Depp was found guilty of one count of defamation and has been ordered to pay $2 million in compensatory damages to his ex-wife.
Johnny Depp’s statement
Following his civil lawsuit victory, Depp issued a heartfelt statement of what has ensued in his life over the past six years and said he was ready for a “new chapter”.
Read his full statement below.
Amber Heard’s statement
However, following the verdict, Heard shared her “disappointment” over the ruling saying she was “heartbroken”.
“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” she said in a statement. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.
“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”
According to the , Heard plans to appeal the decision.
