Heard’s team claim that one of the intended juror was not present at the trial
Johnny Depp‘s legal team have responded to the push for a retrial from Amber Heard‘s lawyers following his high-profile victory in their long-running defamation battle.
Heard’s representatives called for the verdict to be thrown out after they claimed that one of the jurors present at the trial was not the same individual registered to serve on the jury as well as alleging that Depp’s counsel made a series of unfounded allegations.
According to legal documents acquired by Entertainment Tonight, an unidentified 77-year-old – simply known as juror 15 – was originally summoned to jury duty but when it came to the trial, another unidentified 52-year-old living at that exact same Virginia address that shared the same surname showed up instead, serving the entire the six-week trial.
Since then, Depp’s legal team have fired back, arguing that the lawyers for Heard’s defence “had more than enough time” to investigate the jurors and that the individual who ended up on the jury when another had been summoned was still “qualified to serve as a juror”, as per E! News.
They went on to remark that although the defendant’s team are “understandably displeased with the outcome of trial, Ms. Heard has identified no legitimate basis to set aside in any respect the jury’s decision”, adding that “Mr. Depp respectfully submits that the Court should deny [her] Post-Trial Motions, which verge into the frivolous.”
Moreover, it is said that the request for a mistrial came on July 8, seven days after the court-appointed deadline to dispute any verdict that has been carried out; her insurer is also said to be looking to part ways following the defamation defeat.
Elsewhere, although Depp looks to have returned to a life of music – it remains unclear what his future as an actor will be – he is also thought to have seemingly criticised his ex-wife in the lyrics to some of his new music due to release on Friday.
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- Amber Heard is now being investigated for perjury – but not for what you might think
