Amber Heard Says She's 'Heartbroken' by Verdict in Johnny Depp Defamation Case
Amber Heard has spoken out following the verdict in Johnny Depp's defamation case against her, saying she's "heartbroken."
The 36-year-old actress released a statement just minutes after the verdict was announced Wednesday in Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia, where the jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Heard did win one of her three counterclaims, and was awarded $2 million, but it was a sweeping win for the Pirates of the Caribbean star after the jury determined Heard "acted with actual malice."
"The disappointment I feel today is beyond words," the statement read. "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 clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously."
She added, "I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK. I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly."
Depp's punitive damages were later reduced by Judge Penney Azcarate to $350,000 in accordance with the state's statutory cap. After the verdict was announced, Heard was seen walking out of the courthouse with her sister, Whitney, and they both got into a waiting pickup truck without addressing reporters.
Prior the announcement, a source close to Depp said that "due to previously scheduled work commitments made before the trial," Depp wouldn't be physically present in the courthouse for the announcement and he would be watching from the UK.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Heard said, "Your presence shows where your priorities are. Johnny Depp plays guitar in the UK while Amber Heard waits for a verdict in Virginia. Depp is taking his snickering and lack of seriousness on tour."
Heard's spokesperson was referring to the Pirates of the Caribbean star making a surprise appearance Sunday at a Jeff Beck concert in England. Then, on Tuesday, Depp was seen partying with Tom Jones. The actor is also a notable guitarist, and is a member of the band Hollywood Vampires, alongside Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.
The jury deliberated for around 14 hours over the course of three days. Though the six-week trial has come to an end, there's still no word yet on if and/or when Heard will file an appeal.
Depp first filed his $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard in March 2019, in response to an op-ed Heard wrote for the Washington Post in December 2018 about being the victim of domestic violence. The article itself did not mention Depp by name, though, their contentious 2016 divorce had been in the news over the previous two years. Heard countersued for $100 million.
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