FAIRFAX, Va. –
A jury said on Wednesday that she had reached a verdict in Johnny Depp’s defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, who testified that Depp physically and sexually assaulted her on several occasions.
The jury also reached a verdict on a $ 100 million counterclaim that Heard filed against Depp. Heard said she was defamed when Depp’s lawyer called her allegations of abuse a hoax.
The verdicts are expected to be read in Virginia court at 3 p.m., Wednesday. The seven-person civil jury had to make a unanimous decision to reach each verdict. They deliberated for about 12 hours for three days.
Depp is suing his ex-wife for $ 50 million, accusing her of defaming him with a 2018 opinion piece he wrote describing himself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” Heard filed a $ 100 million lawsuit against the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star after his lawyer called his allegations a hoax. Each accuses the other of having destroyed his career.
The testimony during the six-week trial has included frightening details of their short, volatile marriage. Heard testified that Depp physically or sexually assaulted her more than a dozen times. Depp said he never hit Heard, made up allegations of abuse, and was the one who physically assaulted him several times.
Jurors must decide both statements based on whether or not the statements were made with “real malice,” that is, they knew that what they were saying was false or acted with a reckless disregard for the truth.
During the final arguments, both parties told the jury that a verdict in their favor would bring their clients back to life.
Depp has not been waiting for Virginia’s decision. He has spent the last few days on stage, singing and playing guitar with Jeff Beck in the UK.