Johnny Depp's Lawyers Explain Why Amber Heard Lost And Claim Social Media Had No Effect

Johnny Depp's lawyers have explained why they think their client won his case against Amber Heard.

Depp, 58, sued his ex-wife Heard, 36, for $50 million (£38.2 million) in a defamation lawsuit over domestic abuse claims she made in a 2018 article in The Washington Post, and she issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

The article did not mention Depp by name, yet his lawyers argued it falsely implied he physically and sexually abused the Aquaman actor while they were together.

The jury found in favour of Depp, finding that what Heard wrote in her op-ed piece was defamatory, and awarded him $15 million in damages.

The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages, finding that she did not prove all elements of defamation in her countersuit.

Speaking on Good Morning America, Depp's lawyers Camille Vasquez and Ben Chew said they let the evidence do the talking.

Vasquez said: "It was six years in the making, and I think he was able to connect with the jury and the general public and tell what really happened in this relationship."

She added: "The facts in this case were overwhelmingly positive for Johnny and the verdict speaks for itself."

Vasquez explained that the strategy was to use Heard's 'words against her' during cross-examination.

"Every question that was asked was tied to something she had said previously," she said.

Chew also said there was a notable contrast between the two on the stand.

He said: "Johnny took ownership of a lot of things and it seemed at times, and perhaps it came through to the jury, that she had an answer for everything and she wasn't taking accountability for anything, and I think that made a difference."

Depp was the clear favourite among the general public, both outside the courtroom and on social media, but Chew thinks this 'played no role whatsoever' on the outcome of the trial.

He said: "This was a decision made by the jury on the evidence presented by both sides, and as Camille said, it was overwhelmingly in Mr. Depp's favour."

The verdict came following six weeks of evidence at Fairfax County Circuit Court, which included testimony from both Depp and Heard, as well as supermodel Kate Moss.

Depp and Heard began dating after meeting on the set of 2011 film The Rum Diary and got married in 2015. Heard obtained a restraining order against Depp the following year and they finalised their divorce in 2017.

In 2020, Depp lost a libel case brought against The Sun over an article in which he was labelled a 'wife beater'.

He has denied all allegations of abuse.

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Topics: US News, Celebrity, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey