Amber Heard defamed Johnny Depp in an op-ed she wrote for the Huffington Post in 2018, and on Wednesday a Virginia jury determined that the actor had been wrongly accused of domestic violence.
When it was all said and done, the jury’s ruling was skewed, finding that just one of the three statements at issue in Heard’s case had been defamatory.
Despite the jury awarding Mr. Depp $15 million in compensation and punitive damages, the judge reduced the entire amount of punitive damages to $10.35 million because of legal constraints. The jury determined that Ms. Heard was entitled to $200,000 in damages.
Millions across the country tuned in to watch the six-week trial on television or stream it online as the two major Hollywood stars made charges and countercharges of physical abuse against one another, sometimes in lurid detail. The jury’s decision came after a six-week trial that transfixed the nation.
Mr. Depp vehemently rejected the allegations made by Ms. Heard that he repeatedly beat and sexually assaulted her, including punching, headbutting, and yanking her hair.
Johnny Depp And Amber Heard: How did Amber Defame Johnny?
Amber Heard was judged to have committed defamation by the jury when she described herself in an opinion piece as a public figure representing domestic abuse.
However, the jury also found that Johnny Depp’s attorney had committed defamation against Amber Heard.
