Amber Heard To Appeal Verdict In Johnny Depp Defamation Case, Attorney Confirms
The defamation trial involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has arrived at its conclusion. The jury has ruled that she defamed her former husband, while his camp did, as well, on one account.
Following the verdict, which has made headlines since Wednesday, the “Rum Diary” actress’s lawyer confirmed she would “absolutely” appeal the 58-year-old actor’s victory. She stated that her client has some “excellent grounds for it,” according to Geo News.
Speaking to Today, Elain Charlson Bredehoft shared that they “had tried to get the U.K. judgment in” in an effort to dismiss the defamation suit. She explained that Depp “already had his shot,” adding that this is only “one of the issues.”
The attorney, who represented Amber Heard throughout the six-week trial, continued that there are “a number of [the] evidentiary issues, as well.” She said that “there was so much evidence that did not come in.”
Before sharing their camp’s plan to appeal, Bredehoft stated that the 36-year-old actress was not able to pay the penalty. She said, “absolutely not,” and, later on, added that it all sends a “horrible message.”
Reports revealed that Heard owes Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages per the verdict. But, Judge Penney Azcarate noted that the Virginia law limits the punitive damages to $350,000.
This means that the “Paranoia” actress will need to pay her former husband a total of $10.35 million.
Meanwhile, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor, alongside his camp, owes Amber Heard $2 million in compensatory damages. This comes after she won one of the claims that her former partner defamed her.
Speaking to a subsequent interview with CNN, Bredehoft told Kate Bouldan that the jury ruled in favor of Johnny Depp, “in part,” due to his advantages of “wealth, power, and fame.” She even reportedly believes that the jury was “confused.”
Amber Heard’s attorney then explained that cameras and the fans turned the courtroom into something “like a coliseum as opposed to a dignified courtroom.” She also asserted that these things “had a negative influence here that caused this to be much more challenging and much more difficult.”
In discussing the jury, Bredehoft reportedly believes that the jurors tried to follow the judge’s instructions not to read news about the trial. However, she emphasized that “social media is everywhere,” and it is the “reality.”
The attorney continued that “it was all over” radios, televisions, internet, and “everywhere” and “it was really hard to block that out.” She consequently stated that “it made it a lot more difficult” considering that they were all “so vitriolic to Amber [Heard].”