Johnny Depp Slammed For Missing Verdict In Defamation Case

Johnny Depp has been criticised for not being present during the verdict of his defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard.

A representative for Amber Heard has slammed the Pirates of the Caribbean actor for being absent during the trial verdict due to ‘work commitments', according to the New York Post.

The representative told the outlet: “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.”

A source close to Depp previously confirmed to the New York Post that the 58-year-old actor would not be able to attend that verdict but would be ‘watching from the United Kingdom’.

As closing arguments were made and the jury deliberated, the Edward Scissorhands actor joined Jeff Beck’s UK tour.

Over the weekend, Depp made his first appearance on the rock guitarist’s tour in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, where he received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans, with some even giving him a standing ovation, according to Deadline.

ABC News reports that despite not being present, the jury of seven were in favour of the actor and awarded him US$10.35 million (AU$14.4m) in damages after the six-week trial, yesterday, Wednesday (June 1).

However, they also awarded Ms Heard US$2 million (AU$2.8m) in damages concluding she was defamed by one of the actor’s lawyers.

The lawyer claimed Heard and her friends ‘spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight’ before calling the police.

Following the verdict, the actor said in a statement that the jury had given him his ‘life back’.

He wrote: ‘All in the blink of an eye. False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me.”

Depp added: “From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. 

"Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that."

Ms Heard also released a statement via social media, expressing her ‘disappointment’ by the jury’s decision.

In part, she wrote: "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."