Entertainment
Johnny Depp ‘confident in case’ after Amber Heard launches appeal against defamation trial verdict-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro
The actor and his team have faith that the ‘verdict will stand’.
Depp feels ‘confident’ despite his ex-wife’s appeal (Picture: Cliff Owen/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images)
Amber Heard has officially filed for appeal following the verdict in her defamation trail with ex-husband Johnny Depp.
However, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor is ‘confident’, despite her hopes to overturn the court’s ruling.
The original trial lasted for several weeks, with a jury finding that the Aquaman actress did defame Depp with her 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post about her experience with domestic abuse.
Depp, 59, was awarded $15million (£13m) in total, broken down as $10m (£8.3m) in compensatory damages and $5m (£4m) in punitive damages. However, this was capped at $350,000 (£293k) per Virginia state law reducing the total to $8.35m (£7m).
Heard, 36, was awarded $2m (£1.7m) in compensatory damages, despite her counter-suing Depp for $100m (£83.6m) – he originally filed the lawsuit seeking $50m (£42m) from his ex-wife.
Now, after Heard filed a notice of appeal, Depp’s team have spoken out and have faith that the ‘verdict will stand’.
Amber Heard’s reps said they believe ‘errors were made’ that ‘prevented a just and fair verdict’ (Picture: Getty)
In a statement shared with Metro.co.uk, a spokesperson for the star said: ‘The jury listened to the extensive evidence presented during the six-week trial and came to a clear and unanimous verdict that the defendant herself defamed Mr. Depp, in multiple instances.’
They added: ‘We remain confident in our case and that this verdict will stand.’
Previously, reps for Heard commented on initiating the appeal process, saying they believe ‘the court made errors that have prevented a just and fair verdict consistent with the First Amendment’.
‘We are therefore appealing the verdict,’ they stated.
‘While we realise today’s filing will ignite the Twitter bonfires, there are steps we need to take to ensure both fairness and justice.’
Heard’s appeal comes one week after Judge Penney Azcarate denied her request for a mistrial.
The couple endured an emotional weeks-long trial (Picture: AFP)
After the actress and her legal team claimed there was an issue with one of the jurors seemingly not being the correct person from their household summoned for jury service, the judge said there was ‘no evidence of fraud’.
‘The juror was vetted, sat for the entire jury, deliberated, and reached a verdict,’ the judge said.
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‘The only evidence before this court is that this juror and all jurors followed their oaths, the court’s instructions, and orders.
‘This court is bound by the competent decision of the jury.’
Depp and his team hit back in their own statement which, according Deadline, stated that ‘though understandably displeased with the outcome of trial, Ms Heard has identified no legitimate basis to set aside in any respect the jury’s decision’.
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