With the Amber Heard- Johnny Depp trial about to reach a climax, things have been moving at full throttle. Recently, the jury of the trial came to the judge with quite an important question. For those unaware, the entire trial was based on a defamation suit that Johnny Depp had labeled on Heard. He has sued his ex-wife for $50 million. And this was also based on an Op-ed that she wrote in the Washington Post. There, she claimed, “I spoke up against sexual violence- and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.” While the Op-ed didn’t take his name, things were implied. The attorneys of Depp were quick to research the chronology of the dates- to find out how it affected Depp in his career.
The current question that the jury has been mulling over is quite significant to the trial. They have asked the judge if the title of the op-ed is to be taken under consideration or the body itself. As it stands, Heard has also counter-sued Depp. The lawsuit from Heard is based on comments that were previously made by Adam Waldman. For those unaware, Adam Waldman is Depp’s attorney who found the claims a giant hoax. With evidence and counter-evidence put forward, the jury has been deliberating the verdict.
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Jury Deliberates In Amber Heard- Johnny Depp Trial
The judge overseeing the trial made the issue pretty clear. The title of the defamatory statement was to be considered. Also, several other questions were put before the jury. They ranged from- ‘The statement was made or published by Ms. Heard?’ to ‘The statement has a defamatory implication about Mr. Depp.’ The final question states, “Do you find that Mr. Depp has proven by clear and convincing evidence that Ms. Heard acted with actual malice?”+
Benjamin Rottenborn, who has been representing Heard, has stated, “The facts are absolutely overwhelming, of abuse. Mr. Depp simply cannot prove to you that he never once abused Amber, and if you don’t know, you have to return a verdict for Ms. Heard. A ruling against Amber here sends the message that no matter what you do as an abuse victim you always need to do more.”
Camille Vasquez, the lawyer of Johnny Depp tore into Amber in her closing statements. “In doing so ruined his life by falsely telling the world that she was a survivor of domestic abuse at the hands of Mr. Depp. On May 27, 2022, exactly six years later, we ask you to give Mr. Depp his life back. What is at stake in this trial is a man’s life. There is an abuser in this courtroom but it is not Mr. Depp. There is a victim of domestic abuse in this courtroom, but it is not Ms. Heard.”
For now, everything rests with the jury.
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Sources
- “Jury In Amber Heard And Johnny Depp Trial Come To Judge With A Question” LadBible. May 31, 2022.
- “Jury comes back with question in Johnny Depp, Amber Heard trial” New York Post. May 31, 2022.