Amber Heard Files to Appeal Verdict in Johnny Depp Defamation Trial

Amber Heard was directed to pay Johnny Depp over $10 million as damages.

Amber Heard has filed to appeal the Virginia court’s ruling directing her to pay her ex-husband Johnny Depp over $10 million as damages in the highly-publicised defamation trial. Heard’s lawyers have filed documents at the Circuit Court of Fairfax County, detailing the actor’s intended appeals and the judge’s rulings after the verdict.

Judge Penney Azcarate had earlier denied Heard’s request for a mistrial in the case, due to an issue involving a juror.

Heard’s lawyers alleged that one of the seven jury members was not the person summoned by court, submitting that the jury list included a person who “would’ve been 77 years old” but the person on the jury was a 52-year-old with the same name.

Judge Azcarate stated that there’s “no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing” since the jurors were all vetted by both sides. “Therefore, due process was guaranteed and provided,” she noted.

With respect to the recent appeal, Heard’s spokesperson said in a statement, “We believe the court made errors that prevented a just and fair verdict consistent with the first amendment."

"We are therefore appealing the verdict. While we realize today’s filing will ignite the Twitter bonfires, there are steps we need to take to ensure both fairness and justice.”

Amber Heard's spokesperson in a statement

Depp’s spokesperson said in a statement, “The jury listened to the extensive evidence presented during the six-week trial and came to a clear and unanimous verdict that the defendant herself defamed Mr Depp in multiple instances. We remain confident in our case and that this verdict will stand.”

Johnny Depp had filed a defamation suit against Amber Heard for a December 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post wherein Heard called herself “a public figure representing domestic abuse”. However, in the op-ed titled ‘I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change’, Heard doesn’t name Depp.

However, Depp’s lawyers argued that he was nevertheless defamed by the piece. Heard then filed counterclaims alleging that a lawyer, formerly associated with Depp, had defamed her with his statements, including labeling her allegations of abuse a “hoax”.

The jury ordered Heard to pay Depp $10 million in compensatory and $5 million in punitive damages (the latter was reduced to $350,000). The jury also directed Depp to pay $2 million to Heard.