Entertainment
Details of the verdict in Johnny Depp's trial against Amber Heard! Total judgment is actually $8.35 million.
The jury awarded $15 million to the actor for presenting herself as a victim of abuse, and Depp will pay the actress 2 million. After state statutory caps and Heard's award, she will only owe $8.35 million.
June 1, 2022 3:49pm
Updated: June 1, 2022 7:34pm
The seven members of the jury have ruled that actress Amber Heard defamed her ex-husband, actor Johnny Depp, with her article in The Washington Post in which she portrayed herself as a victim of abuse. Depp defamed her as well, but on only one of the three claims brought to trial.
It's a big win for the actor. Heard will have to pay him $15 million, and he will have to pay the actress $2 million. Here is the breakdown of the verdict:
Jury rules that Heard defamed Depp in her first claim
The seven-person jury found that Johnny Depp was defamed by Amber Heard in her Washington Post op-ed, which read, "I spoke out against sexual violence and faced the wrath of our culture. That has to change." This is just one of the statements Depp claims was defamatory.
Jury finds that Heard defamed Depp in the second claim
The seven-person jury found that Johnny Depp was again defamed in his second claim against Amber Heard in her Washington Post op-ed, which read, "Then, two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's anger at women speaking out."
Heard defamed Depp in the third claim, jury rules
The jury ruled that Amber Heard defamed Johnny Depp in her Washington Post op-ed when she wrote, "I had the rare advantage of seeing, in real-time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse."
This is the third claim made by Heard that they said was defamatory.
Heard must pay $15 million to Depp, the jury rules, but the Virginia state statutory cap on Punitive Damages at means Heard will only pay $350,000 instead of $5 million, lowering her initial total to just over $10 million
Amber Heard must pay Johnny Depp $15 million in damages, the jury said. The Virginia state statutory cap on Punitive Damages at means Heard will only pay $350,000 instead of $5 million, lowering her initial total to just over $10 million. The jury also awarded Heard $2 million, which means in total, Heard will owe Depp just $8.35 million.
But not so fast. Let's not forget that Depp paid Heard $7 million in their divorce settlement. If Heard were to repay that money back, the balance she would owe would total just $1.35 million.
Depp did not defame Heard, jury finds on the first claim
Johnny Depp did not defame Amber Heard when his lawyer Adam Waldman first made his statement to the Daily Mail, the jury ruled.
Jury finds Depp DID defame Heard in the second claim, awards her $2 million
The jury ruled Wednesday that Adam Waldman defamed Amber Heard when he told the Daily Mail that she set up Johnny Depp when police arrived at his apartment in May 2016.
It awarded Heard $2 million in damages for this claim.
Depp did not defame Heard in his third claim, the jury says
Johnny Depp did not defame Amber Heard when his lawyer spoke of an "abuse hoax by Ms. Heard against Johnny Depp," the jury ruled.
This means that Depp was only found to be defamatory in one of his three claims.