Hollywood star Johnny Depp won a defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard who had accused him of domestic abuse.
A jury in Fairfaz, Virginia, issued ruling in favour of Depp after weeks long hectic testimony in the $100 million defamation suit. The jury found Heard’s statement about her marriage false and aimed at maligning the ex-husband.
The court has awarded the Pirates of The Caribbean star $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
The Jury also found that Depp defamed Heard through his attorney and awarded her $2 million in damages.
Following the verdict, the 58-year-old actor issued a statement, saying: “The jury gave me my life back”.
He said that the serious and false allegations levied at him had changed his life and the life of his children six years ago “in the blink of an eye”.
“It had already traveled 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,” he added.
View this post on Instagram
“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. I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world,” Depp wrote.
He concluded his statement by saying, “Truth never perishes”.
Reacting to the verdict, Amber Heard termed it a “setback” for women.
“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,” she said in a statement.
View this post on Instagram
“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback… It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously,” she said.
Depp, who was married to Heard from 2015 to 2017, sued her for $50 million over an newspaper article in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. Later, she filed a countersuit against him for $100 million over defamation.
Johnny Depp takes legal action against British tabloid over wife beater allegation
