AMBER HEARD TO APPEAL VERDICT

Legal representation for actress Amber Heard has confirmed that the actress will “absolutely” be appealing the verdict in the case brought against her by her ex-husband Johnny Depp.

Depp sued Heard over an op-ed published in the Washington Post in 2018. In the piece, she said that she’s a victim of physical and sexual abuse.

Depp’s lawyers argued that the op-ed falsely accused him of being the person who abused Heard while they were dating and later on married.

Speaking on the Today show, Elaine Bredehoft, Heard’s lawyer, said the actress has “excellent grounds” for the appeal as there was “so much” evidence that was not included during the trial.

Jurors in Virginia concluded that Depp should be awarded compensatory damages of $10 million and a further $5 million in punitive damages.

During the interview, Bredehoft said that Heard is not able to pay the amount required by the court.

This wasn’t the first time that Depp went to court over abuse allegations.

He lost his case against the British tabloid The Sun after the newspaper referred to him as a “wife-beater” in 2018.

Both actors shared statements after the trial. Depp’s legal team shared his statement live after the verdict while Heard decided to share her statement personally.

She said that she was “heartbroken (and) even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women”. Heard said that the verdict “sets back the clock” and that Depp’s legal team succeeded in convincing the jury members to “overlook” freedom of speech.

Image credit: The New York Times