Amber Heard took a huge loss yesterday after a jury ruled in Johnny Depp’s favor. The actor sued his ex-wife for defamation due to an op-ed she penned for the Washington Post. Though Heard did leave with a tiny victory in her counterclaims, the jury awarded Depp $10.4M in compensatory damages and another $5 in punitive damages.
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According to Heard’s attorney Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, her client doesn’t have the funds. During a recent appearance on Today, Bredehoft said her client was “demonized” throughout the trial. She suggested that even the jury was swayed by the common narrative, even though they were advised to refrain from consuming any media that would create any bias. When asked whether Heard had the funds to pay for the judgment, Bredehoft said, “No way, absolutely not.”
The battle is far from over, Bredehoft said. She said that she plans to appeal the verdict due to the “number of evidentiary issues” that could’ve worked in Heard’s favor.
“There was so much evidence that did not come in,” Bredehoft added. “We even had tried to get the U.K. judgment in to dismiss his case, because [Depp] already had his shot.”
After the verdict was revealed, Heard issued a statement describing the jury’s decision as a setback for women.
“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 said. “I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback.