Celebrity - News
THE VERDICT IN THE JOHNNY DEPP VS. AMBER HEARD TRIAL IS FINALLY CLEAR
By ASHLEY NICKELL
The following story contains discussion of domestic abuse.
Content Warning
Johnny Depp's defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard has finally come to a close. Depp was suing Heard for $50 million due to an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post in December 2018 alleging domestic abuse from an unnamed partner, which Depp claims destroyed his reputation and career.
Testimony in the case wrapped up May 26. When Heard testified for the last time, she explained how Depp and his attorney Adam Waldman caused her to feel "harassed, humiliated, threatened every single day" over the statements they made about her throughout the trial, per CBS News.
Closing arguments kicked off May 27, and each side of the case was allowed two hours to leave a final impression for the seven jury members. Following the closing arguments, the jury returned on June 1 with a win for Depp, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
Depp will likely walk away with a little over $10 million, due to a fiscal cap on punitive damages in Virginia; Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages. Many took to social media to share their reactions to the verdict; "Justice is served," one person wrote. Another noted, "y'all failed amber."