Source: People
Friday 3 June 2022 15:54:47
Amber Heard is planning to appeal the verdict reached in Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit against her, according to her attorney.
Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, who represented Heard, 36, throughout her trial against her ex-husband, revealed on the Today show Thursday morning that her client's battle with the actor isn't over just yet.
When asked by co-host Savannah Guthrie whether or not the Aquaman actress plans to appeal her loss, Bredehoft said, "Absolutely, and she has some excellent grounds for it."
Explaining that there were a "number of evidentiary issues," the attorney said, "There was so much evidence that did not come in."
"We even had tried to get the U.K. judgment in to dismiss his case, because [Depp] already had his shot," Bredehoft added.
Earlier this week, Depp, 58, won all three defamation claims in his case brought against his ex-wife over her 2018 op-ed about coming forward with domestic abuse allegations.
The jury awarded Depp with $15 million in damages but Heard will only have to pay $10.35 million due to Virginia law capping punitive damages (the judge reduced the amount).
In regards to Heard's countersuit brought against Depp, he was found to have defamed her on one of three claims. She was awarded $2 million in damages.
Bredehoft noted during her Today appearance that her client does not have the means to pay the $10.35 million. "No way. Absolutely not," she said, when asked about the actress paying the money that is now owed.
Heard released a statement shortly after the verdict was reached on Wednesday. "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 began.
"I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback," Heard continued. "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 U.K.," she said. "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."
Depp, in his own statement released after the verdict was reached, said he believes the "best is yet to come" for him.
"Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. All in the blink of an eye," the Pirates of the Caribbean star said. "False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. 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."
Depp mentioned he was "humbled" and "overwhelmed by the outpouring of love" he received during the trial.
"I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media," the actor added. "I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth. The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun. Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes."
During her appearance on Today, Bredehoft also went into detail about how she believes social media influenced the court case for the worse.
Stating that she "absolutely" thinks strong opinions from fans of both Heard and Depp affected jurors, the attorney said, "How can you not?"
"They went home every night, they had families, the families are on social media. They had a 10-day break in the middle of it because of the judicial conference. There's no way they couldn't have been influenced by it," she stated. "And it was horrible, it really really was lopsided. It was like the Roman Coliseum, how they viewed this case."