Amber Heard Makes Quick Exit Following Depp Defamation Win

Amber Heard made a quick exit after the jury handed down their verdict in favour of her ex-husband Johnny Depp.

The Aquaman star largely kept her eyes downcast as Judge Penney Azcarate read out the verdicts.

When it was all over she looked devastated and appeared to be on the verge of tears.

As Depp's legal team hugged over their win Heard and her team could be seen standing still, apparently processing the loss.

The 36-year-old actor then hugged and thanked her team before quickly exiting the courtroom.

She was followed by her lawyers.

The gallery and Depp's lawyers remained, hugging and chatting with supporters in the courtroom.

The jury unanimously found in favour of Johnny Depp, finding that what Amber Heard wrote in her op-ed piece for The Washington Post was defamatory, and awarded him $15 million ($AUD 20 million, £12 million) in damages. 

Following the verdict, Heard released a statement on social media.

It read: "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. 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.

"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."

Heard was awarded $2 million ($AUD 2.7 million, £1.6 million) in compensatory damages by the jury in her countersuit.

The jury found that Heard was defamed on one occasion through Depp's lawyer.

The jury cleared Depp on the other two claims made by Heard.

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.

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Law & Crime.

Topics: Johnny Depp, US News, News, Crime

Rachel Lang

Rachel Lang is a Digital Journalist at LADbible. During her career, she has interviewed Aussie PM Malcolm Turnbull in the lead up to the 2016 federal election, ran an editorial campaign on the war in Yemen, and reported on homelessness in the lead-up to Harry and Meghan’s wedding in Windsor. She also once wrote a yarn on the cheese and wine version of Fyre Festival.

@rlangjournalist