‘The best is yet to come’
Johnny Depp has said he has his “life back” after the jury in his defamation case against Amber Heard ruled in his favour.
On Wednesday evening, the jury in Fairfax, Virginia, ruled that Depp had been defamed by his ex-wife Heard in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote.
After deliberating for approximately 12 hours and 45 minutes, they concluded that Heard had defamed Depp with the article.
The jury found ‘yes’ in answer to each question asked to them, finding that Heard’s statements about her marriage were “false” and conveyed “a defamatory implication” to people other than Depp.
They also found she acted with “actual malice”.
The jury awarded Depp $10m (£8m) in compensatory damages and $5m in punitive damages.
Following the ruling, Depp said in a lengthy statement: “Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.
“All in the blink of an eye.”
He continued: “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. It had already travelled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.
“Six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”
He added: “The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.”
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They also ruled that Heard’s defamation claims against Johnny Depp were unproven.
The jury’s verdict had been scheduled to be read out at 20:00 GMT, but this was delayed after they failed to fill in the part of the paperwork in which they suggest compensatory and punitive damages.
They had to then return to their quarters and complete this part of the paperwork.
Related links:
- Johnny Depp was in a pub in Newcastle while the verdict of his defamation trial was read out
- Johnny Depp and Kate Moss ‘reunited’ at second performance in London with Jeff Beck
- Johnny Depp’s team file last-minute motion in Amber Heard defamation case
