Yesterday, millions around the world were glued to their screens as the final verdict between actor Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard was revealed.
Streamed live on YouTube, via the Law & Crime Network channel, over 3 million viewers tuned in yesterday to see how the long awaited trial played out and what conclusion the jury reached.
Depp, who was absent from court on Wednesday due to a previously scheduled work commitment, sought $50 million in damages in connection with Heard’s 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post, whereby she declared that she was a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”
In a closely watched 6-week trial, that showcased highly explicit and graphic evidence of the couples tumultous toxic relationship, also resulted in a Virginia jury to conclude that actor Amber Heard defamed ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Johnny Depp trial financial settling
Depp’s argument obligated the jury to find that all of Heard’s three statements were untrue, had a defamatory insinuation and were made with actual malice, because as he is a public figure.
Which Judge Penney settled once and for all, by affirming all of the above.
Furthermore, the jury determined Depp warranted $10 million in compensatory damages and a further $5 million in punitive damages, however, the judge said state law caps punitive damages at $350,000, so Depp only received $10.35 million.
Surprisingly, Depp wasn’t the only winner.
Amber Heard also won a portion of her countersuit against Depp’s former attorney Adam Waldman, who declared her abuse allegations a scam.
The jury agreed to grant her $2 million in damages.
In a statement to USA Today, Depp said:
“My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought.
From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. 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.”
Amber Heard also gave an official statement following the outcome
Amber Heard, who has become the center of public grueling and a strong wind of online hate also spoke out on Twitter as the court case came to a close:
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.
I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.
I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.
I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.
How this viral trial prompted a change in young lives across social media
The hashtag #Justiceforjohnnydepp has been trending across platforms like Twitter and TikTok throughout the entirety of this trial.
Many have also posted their opinions, arguements and shared experiences with domestic abuse online as a result of this case becoming so public.
One viewer on TikTok, who simply filmed her thoughts comparing the two psychologists who testified in the celebrity lawsuit, has since received over 4.3 million views.
However, this has prompted something more imperative here.
Domestic violence is a significant problem that affects individuals around the world. This trial has taken on symbolic value and denotively illustrates that many victims (especially men in this case) are silenced and not believed.
In an article on the BBC, one man stated that:
“I was browsing Twitter and I saw a live feed, watched it a few minutes and realised that there were a lot of things I could relate to when I heard Johnny Depp testify in court.
Because there were a lot of similarities between Johnny Depp’s case and my own. I decided to post the trial videos on my YouTube channel in the hopes to create a community of people who have also been abused,” he mentioned.
“My goal was to bring out people who have been silenced.”
In the words of Amber Heard herself, in a recorded audio, “Tell the world, Johnny, tell them, Johnny Depp, I, a man, I’m a victim too of domestic violence. And see how many people believe or side with you.”
He did exactly that.
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