Amber Heard's representatives have confirmed the actress will appeal the verdict in her libel trial against Johnny Depp after the jury ruled against her. A spokesman for Heard told the New York Times that she planned to appeal the decision after the actress said she was 'heartbroken' by the result.
Depp had sued the Aquaman star for $50million, claiming her 2018 article in the Washington Post titled: “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath… That has to change.”
Depp’s lawyers argued that the article, which did not mention him by name, falsely claimed that he was physically and sexually abusive while the two were together.
Following six weeks of evidence and roughly 13 hours of deliberation, the actor was awarded compensatory damages of $10m dollars (£8m) and a further $5m (£4m) in punitive damages.
Heard was awarded $2m (£1.6m) in damages after her counterclaim against Depp over comments made by his lawyer Adam Waldman, who allegedly referred to her abuse claims as a “hoax”, was also found to be defamatory.
Experts say that to appeal the jury's verdict, Heard would have to post a bond for the full $10m judgement, plus interest, reports the Mirror. The actress would have to demonstrate there were errors in the trial or in the jury's reading of the law to be successful.
Depp had consistently denied the “outrageous, outlandish” claims of abuse and said he had “spoken up for what I have been carrying on my back reluctantly for six years” during his own evidence. The court previously heard that descriptions of his drug use and violence were exaggerated by Ms Heard and her legal team.
The case was brought in Virginia rather than in California, where the actors live, because The Washington Post’s online editions are published through servers located in Fairfax County. Witnesses have included family members, friends, colleagues, employees and other individuals including British supermodel Kate Moss, as well as both Depp and Heard.
During the course of the trial at Fairfax County District Court, legions of fans gathered outside in an attempt to enter the courtroom and observe proceedings. Many lined up outside the courthouse in anticipation of the verdict and gave huge cheers as the verdicts were read out.
