Jurors On Johnny Depp Defamation Trial Will Have To Answer 21 Questions To Come To Their Decision
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Questions will now be put to the jurors to help determine the outcome of the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.
The six week trial came to an end today as both side's legal teams gave their closing statements.
It is now up to the jury to decide whether Heard defamed Depp in an op-ed piece she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she called herself a 'public figure representing domestic abuse'.
Suing his ex-wife for $50 million, Depp claimed that while his name was not mentioned in the article, the insinuation he had abused Heard during their marriage ruined not only his career but his reputation too.
Some of the questions the jurors will face in their deliberations have since been revealed.
Expert producers for Law & Crime Daily and Law & Crime Network - the organisation which has been covering the live court video of the Depp versus Heard trial - Sierra Gillespie and Cathy Russon took to Twitter to share the verdict form presented to the jury by Depp's team.
Gillespie said: "[Benjamin] Chew [one of Depp's lawyers] notes there will be seven questions per statement, meaning 21 questions in all about the Op-Ed.
"Chew asks jurors to answer 'yes' to all questions."
WATCH: Judge Penney Azcarate lays out Heard's claims and the instructions for the jury. "On these issues, Miss Heard has the burden of proof."#JohnnyDeppVsAmberHeard @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/SHoPhx7rtV
— Sierra Gillespie (@sierragillespie) May 27, 2022
Jurors have the option of saying 'yes' or 'no' to three sets of questions which each respond to different quotes from Heard's 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece.
The start of each set of questions is stated as being: "Has Mr. Depp proven by a greater weight of evidence that:"
The questions then range from, 'The statement was made or published by Ms. Heard?' to 'The statement has a defamatory implication about Mr. Depp'.
The final question states: "Do you find that Mr. Depp has proven by clear and convincing evidence that Ms. Heard acted with actual malice?"
Pages 1, 2 and 3 of the verdict form in #JohnnyDepp v #AmberHeard pic.twitter.com/Foczv1EDap
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) May 27, 2022
In Depp's team's closing statement, Chew clarified that while Depp is suing Heard for $50 million in damages, that it is 'not about money' for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.
The lawyer said: "It has never been about money. Nor is it about punishing Miss Heard.
"It's about freeing himself from the prison in which he has lived for the past six years. It's six years to the day."
Chew: This case for Mr. Depp is not about money. It has never been about money. Nor is it about punishing Miss Heard. It's about freeing himself from the prison in which he has lived for the past six years. It's six years to the day.#JohnnyDeppVsAmberHeard @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/f24CcKQOps
— Sierra Gillespie (@sierragillespie) May 27, 2022
Chew said that the whole point of the trial for Depp was to tell 'his story and the truth about what really happened'.
He said: "It's about restoring his reputation. It's about showing Mr. Depp's children, Lily-Rose and Jack, that the truth is worth fighting for."
Depp proceeded to hug his lawyer after the closing argument concluded.
Depp hugs Chew after the closing argument is presented. Judge Azcarate calls for a morning recess before Heard's team presents closing arguments.#JohnnyDeppVsAmberHeard @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/Gp9cfCMKle
— Sierra Gillespie (@sierragillespie) May 27, 2022
If the jurors rule in Depp's favour, they will have to decide how much of the $50 million he is awarded or whether he should receive more.
However a partner at a legal firm warned that even if Depp does win the case, it could still be 'tough for Depp to completely salvage his career'.
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Featured Image Credit: Law & Crime Network
Topics: News, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, US News
