The defamation action against Johnny Depp and his ex wife Amber Heard has been settled. In a defamation action brought in response to an essay by ex wife actress Amber Heard, the jury found in favour of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor.
In the defamation case, Depp received USD 10.35 million, while Heard received USD 2 million after the court concluded that Depp’s former lawyer had defamed her.
In a 2018 piece published in the Washington Post, Depp sued the actress for USD 50 million for purportedly hinting that he assaulted her. In response, the ‘Aquaman’ actress filed a counterclaim for USD 100 million.
Following the trial, the Virginia jury decided that Heard should pay USD 15 million in damages for defamation, while Depp should pay USD 2 million. The sum payable by Heard was decreased to USD 10.35 million due to Virginia statutes that limit punitive penalties.
Regardless of the decision, it appears that Johnny Depp will not pursue his ex-wife for the USD 10.35 million in damages she is owed following the defamation trial. This has been assumed by the media based on a television interview with Depp’s lawyer Benjamin Chew.
