Jury finds Depp, Heard both liable for defamation

A Virginia jury on Wednesday found Johnny Depp and his former spouse, Amber Heard, both defamed each other, awarding $15 million in damages to the “Rum Diary” star and $2 million to his ex-wife.

Depp had sued Heard for $50 million in damages. In a $100 million counterclaim, Heard accused Depp of damaging her reputation by dubbing her a liar following her allegations of sexual violence against him.

The jury’s decision brings an end to a star-studded trial that quickly swelled into a media firestorm.

Depp, who was seen performing at a concert in England earlier in the week, was not present in the courtroom as the verdict was read on Wednesday.

The 58-year-old former “Pirates of the Caribbean” star had claimed that Heard, who married him in 2015 before divorcing a year later, ruined his reputation by insinuating he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. The op-ed, in which Heard spoke out against sexual violence, never named Depp.

The verdict came after Depp’s case against the “Aquaman” actor generated headlines around the world as both fans and critics became regular court watchers, viewing livestreams and breathless coverage of the daily proceedings in Virginia’s Fairfax County Circuit Court.

Thirty-six-year-old Heard had testified that Depp had physically and sexually abused her throughout much of their relationship. She claimed in court that she masked bruises on her face with makeup.

Denying he ever physically assaulted his ex-wife, Depp claimed that Heard was the one who mentally and physically abused him in the past.

Including explosive testimony from Heard and Depp, the six-week trial also included a host of Hollywood witnesses, with model Kate Moss and actor Ellen Barkin both offering testimony, along with a parade of talent agents, doctors, and friends and family members.

Heard claimed in stirring testimony that Depp had assaulted her the night before a fight between the couple that severed one of her then-husband’s fingertips. Depp had claimed that Heard had thrown a vodka bottle at him.

“At some point I shoved him hard, to get him off me, and he shoved me back,” Heard told the court of Depp.

“Johnny had the bottle inside of me, and he shoved it into me over and over again,” Heard testified.

On the stand, Depp described what it was like listening to his ex-wife’s testimony throughout the trial, saying, “It's insane to hear heinous accusations of violence, sexual violence… that she's accusing me of.”

“(It's) horrible, ridiculous, humiliating, ludicrous, painful, savage, unimaginably brutal, cruel,” Depp said.

Jurors had deliberated since Friday before delivering their verdict.