Johnny Depp has won his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard.  After days of deliberating, the Virginia jury awarded Johnny with $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.  The jury also awarded Amber $2 million in compensatory damages.

 

After writing an op-ed for The Washington Post in 2018 where she referred to herself as a ‘public figure representing domestic abuse,’ Johnny sued Amber for $50 million – Amber then countersued Johnny for $100 million.

 

@citynewsto Jury members found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard should receive $2 million. #news #jonnydepp #amberheard #depp #heard ? Breaking News Background Music (Basic A)(1001538) – LEOPARD

 

 

According to NBC News, “Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Penney Azcarate reduced the punitive damages the jury awarded Depp to $350,000, which is the state’s statutory cap, or legal limit, making his total damages $10.4 million.”

 

 

 

 

Johnny then celebrated his win by releasing a statement:

 

“Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.

All in the blink of an eye.

False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.

And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.

My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought.

From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.

I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media.

I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth.

The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.

Veritas numquam perit.

Truth never perishes.”

 

 

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Amber later said that while the verdict was being read, she was heartbroken, “I’m ever more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.  It’s a setback.  It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly humiliated.  It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”

Filed under: Amber Heard, Johnny Depp