After six weeks of trial and jury deliberation on Friday and Tuesday, the verdict is finally in on the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard defamation case. Though Depp himself was not physically present for the jury reading due to tour obligations overseas, he will undoubtedly be happy with the results.
The trial has been one of the first pop culture whirlwind phenomena of 2022 worldwide, largely due to the entire thing being live-streamed online and on the news. The public has been entirely invested in this case, with very strong and divisive opinions coming from all corners of the internet. Given the divisiveness that the trial itself brought on, the verdict is likely to have similar fallout.
As a defamation case, this has certainly been unique. Actor Depp sued his ex-wife and Aquaman star Heard for $50 million following a Washington Post op-ed Heard wrote describing her experience as a celebrity woman who had come forward about domestic violence. Depp claimed that these allegations were false and that following the op-ed, he was fired from his longstanding role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Heard fired back with a counterclaim for double the money, claiming that Depp and his lawyer had coordinated a targeted smear campaign against her
Heard was found liable on all counts of defamation against her, with the jury opting to award Depp with $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Heard was successful however on one count of her counterclaiming, with Depp being ordered to pay $2 million in compensatory damages towards her. In total, Depp will be awarded $8, 350, 000.
Though the heart of the trial has been based on some very serious issues, much of its events have made news online and have been memed incessantly. Heard herself as well as her lawyers have particularly been the victims of some serious scrutiny throughout this case. Many have turned to social media to make fun of her demeanor and allegedly inconsistent evidence, as well as strange behavior from her lawyers. Though both sides had their fair share of passionate supporters, the court of public opinion appeared to fall into the Depp camp a majority of the time.
The case may be over, but with how public everything involved was, it's unlikely that either party will outlive the legacy of this moment. Heard, who was physically present for the reading, does have the opportunity to appeal. Following the verdict, she did release a public statement on Instagram citing that this verdict "sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated." Depp has also made a public statement via Instagram, stating, "six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled."
Source: YouTube | NBC News