Johnny Depp’s lawyers have addressed the crowd outside the courtroom in Fairfax, Virginia, following the win in their defamation case.
Depp won the libel case against Amber Heard, with the jury finding that Heard did in fact defame her ex-husband in an article she wrote for The Washington Post.
After the jury awarded the Pirates of the Caribbean star $15 million in damages, his legal team headed out of the Fairfax County Courtroom to speak to the public.
Camille Vasquez and Ben chew speaking about their big win #JusticeForJohnny #jonnydepp #AmberHeard @7NewsDC pic.twitter.com/oHn91tCbZD
— Caroline Patrickis (@Cpatrickis) June 1, 2022
The jury unanimously were in favour of Johnny Depp, finding that what Amber Heard wrote in her op-ed piece was defamatory.
The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages, finding that in her countersuit, Heard did not prove all elements of defamation.
Heard was in attendance at the court in Virginia as the verdict was heard, while Depp was said to be watching from the UK after having been performing at concerts with Jeff Beck in Sheffield and London.
Depp, 58, previously sued his ex-wife Heard, 36, for $50 million (£38.2 million) in a defamation lawsuit over domestic abuse claims she made in the 2018 article, while she issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).
The article did not identify Depp by name, yet his lawyers argued it falsely implied he physically and sexually abused the Aquaman actor while they were together.
The verdict comes following six weeks of evidence at Virginia's Fairfax County Circuit Court, which included testimony from both Depp and Heard, as well as supermodel Kate Moss.
In his closing remarks, Benjamin Rottenborn, representing Heard, said that a verdict in Depp's favour would demonstrate to abuse victims that they would 'always need to do more'.
"The facts are absolutely overwhelming, of abuse," he told the jury.
"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.
"No matter what you document you always have to document more, no matter who you tell you always have to tell more people.
"No matter how honest you are about your own imperfections and shortcomings in a relationship you need to be perfect in order for people to believe you.
"Don't send that message – that's what (Mr Depp) wants you to do."
Featured Image Credit: Law & Crime Network
Topics: News, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, US News
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