Johnny Depp and Amber heard being the most talked about controversy lately, have gone through a defamation trial. Johnny Depp has sued Amber heard for 50 million dollars saying that she defamed him when she claimed to be a victim of domestic violence in a Washington post-op-ed in 2018.
Amber has counter-sued Depp for 100 million dollars claiming that Depp has smeared her by calling her a liar.
Depp and Heard both claimed they suffered reputational and professional harm as a result of the allegations and denials, respectively. Testimony revealed the couple’s marriage counselor felt that they had engaged in “mutual abuse.”
After nearly two days of deliberations, jurors found on Wednesday that Ms. Heard's statements about her marriage were "false" and she had acted with "actual malice". Jurors awarded Mr. Depp - who denied abusing Ms. Heard - $15m (£12m) in compensatory and punitive damages.
But they also found that Mr. Depp had defamed Ms. Heard when his lawyer stated to the Daily Mail in 2020 calling her abuse allegations a hoax. As a result Ms. Heard, 36, won one of three counter-claims against Mr. Depp, 58, and was awarded $2m in compensatory damages.
On the eve of the verdict, Mr. Depp received a standing ovation after performing with Mr. Beck at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
In a statement on Wednesday, he said: "The jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled."
He added, in Latin: "Truth never perishes."
Mr. Depp's statement continued: "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
The actress, who sat sombrely throughout the reading of the verdict, said in a statement that she was "heartbroken". She argued that the jury had ignored evidence in her favor.
"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," said the actress, who stars in an Aquaman sequel due out next year.
She added: "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."
In addition, A video of Johnny Depp celebrating his victory against Amber Heard at Newcastle Pub has gone viral!
Writer - Suhani Jain
Editor - Priyam Kusundal
Graphics - Jhem Picache and Vaishnavi Bhojane
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