Johnny Depp affair: Amber Heard's request for a new trial denied
Sylvie Claire / July 14, 2022
The actress, who recently lost a libel suit against the star of Pirates of the Caribbean, asked for the verdict to be overturned because of doubts about the identity of one of the jurors. But Judge Penney Azcarate, who presided over the trial in Fairfax, near Washington, rejected her request, saying that she had suffered no prejudice during the trial.
The 36-year-old actress, known for her roles in Justice League and Aquaman, claimed that one of the jurors was not the one who received a summons from the court. He had the same name, lived at the same address, and the summons listed no date of birth.
The juror was approved (by both parties), remained with the jury, deliberated and reached a verdict, Judge Azcarate wrote in her decision, finding that there was no evidence of fraud or misconduct. Johnny Depp, 59, had sued for defamation his ex-wife, who had described herself in an op-ed published in 2018 as a public figure representing domestic violence, without naming her ex-husband.
He was seeking $50 million in damages, claiming that the forum had destroyed his career and reputation.
The juror was approved (by both parties), stayed with the jury, deliberated and reached a verdict
Amber Heard countered and asked for double. After six weeks of debates, the jurors of the Fairfax court, concluded on June 1 that the ex-spouses had defamed each other. But they awarded more than 10 million dollars to Johnny Depp, against only 2 million for Amber Heard.