Aquaman actress Amber Heard said that she felt ‘heartbroken’ by the ruling, adding she was ‘sadder still’ that she had ‘lost a right’ to ‘speak freely and openly’
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Johnny Depp wins defamation case against Amber Heard
Amber Heard has broken her silence after ex Johnny Depp was awarded £12million ($15million) by a jury today.
The Aquaman actress said that she felt “heartbroken” by the ruling, adding she was “sadder still” that she had “lost a right” to “speak freely and openly”.
She was awarded compensatory damages of $2million after proving one of her counterclaims to the jury.
Depp sued Heard, 36, for defamation over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote about the alleged domestic violence she suffered, although she did not name her ex-husband.
He demanded more than £38 million, saying her domestic abuse claims have all but ended his career and ruined his reputation.
Depp denies ever physically or sexually assaulting Heard.
After the verdict was read out in court, Heard said in a statement: “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.
“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.
“It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.
“It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.
“I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of freedom of speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.
“I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.”
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Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
However, Depp’s team welcomed the news as he said in a statement that the jury had “given him his life back”.
He said: “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.
“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.
“And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”
Mr Depp went on to say his decision to pursue the case “was only made after considerable thought” and his goal was to “reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome”.
“Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that,” the actor said.
He said he had been “overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world”, adding: “I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up.”
Mr Depp said: “The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun” before concluding: “Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes. “
