Amber Heard appeal – latest: No settlement as actor hints at Johnny Depp ruling challenge

Actors will decide whether to drag their legal battle further or settle

Savannah Guthrie grills Amber Heard over audio 'taunting' Johnny Depp

Judge Penney Azcarate on Friday (24 June) filed a judgement order reflecting the verdict previously reached in the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial.

On 1 June, a Virginia jury ruled Ms Heard defamed former husband Mr Depp, bringing to an end a widely watched six-week trial.

It also ruled in favour of Ms Heard in some aspects of her countersuit against Mr Depp. The jury awarded Mr Depp $15m in damages after finding that he proved all three claims against Ms Heard. The amount was reduced to $10.35m because of limits set by state law.

The actors weren’t required to be present in the courtroom for the hearing, which begin at 11am ET on Friday and wrapped up in about an hour.

Key points

• Johnny Depp and Amber Heard lawyers to meet in court in last bid to settle case
• Depp’s lawyers said they’d drop damages against Heard if she stops appeal
• What attorneys say about Heard’s options to appeal verdict

[25 June 2022 04:00 · Clemence Michallon]

Amber Heard asked if she’ll tell her daughter ‘everything’ about legal battle with Johnny Depp

Amber Heard was asked if she’ll tell her one-year-old daughter “everything” about the legal battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp during her first interview since the verdict came down in his favour.

Questioned by NBC’s Savannah Guthrie about how she views her future, Ms Heard said: “I get to be a mom. Like full time, where I don’t have to juggle calls with lawyers.”

[25 June 2022 03:00 · Clemence Michallon]

Amber Heard suggests she will appeal Johnny Depp ruling, no settlement in court

Amber Heard has suggested she intends to file an appeal in the wake of Johnny Depp’s victory in the defamation trial.

Judge Penney Azcarate entered a judgement on Friday (24 June) echoing the verdict that was handed down on 1 June.

In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for Ms Heard said: “As stated in yesterday’s congressional hearings, you don’t ask for a pardon if you are innocent. And, you don’t decline to appeal if you know you are right.”

[25 June 2022 02:00 · Clemence Michallon]

What attorneys say about Amber Heard’s options to appeal Johnny Depp verdict

After Johnny Depp largely prevailed in his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, her attorney Elaine Bredehoft announced her client “absolutely” intends to appeal.

The jury of five men and two women announced on 1 June it had found that Ms Heard defamed Mr Depp on three statements. Jurors also found that Ms Heard was defamed by one of three statements in her countersuit.

After the verdict was announced, The Independent spoke with three attorneys about Ms Heard’s possible grounds for an appeal, or even a new trial: Lisa Bloom of The Bloom Firm, whose clients have included Janice Dickinson, Mischa Barton, and several victims of Jeffrey Epstein; Jesse Weber, a host and attorney at the Law & Crime network, who covered the trial from the courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia; and Mitra Ahouraian, an entertainment attorney in Beverly Hills who represents actors, directors, producers, and musicians.

[25 June 2022 01:00 · Clemence Michallon]

How Johnny Depp’s fandom turned its focus to his lawyer

In the weeks after the trial began, Camille Vasquez became one of the best-known figures among followers of the case. Depp’s fans turned to her the online attention usually reserved to actors and singers.

There have been celebratory tweets and Instagram fan accounts. While the trial was ongoing, Depp supporters were known to wait outside the courthouse, hoping to catch a glimpse of Vasquez and possibly get their own hug. After Vasquez’s cross-examination of Heard, a meme reimagined the attorney as Thor, the god of thunder portrayed by Chris Hemsworth in Marvel movies. Vasquez’s star only rose further after a verdict was announced on 1 June largely favoring Depp.

Clémence Michallon reports:

[25 June 2022 00:00 · Clemence Michallon]

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard: A timeline of their relationship, allegations, and court battles

The trial in Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard drew to a close with a civil jury handing an overwhelming victory to Johnny Depp.

After a six-week trial in Fairfax, Virginia, the jury returned a verdict on 1 June after deliberabating for around two-and-a-half days.

Here is a timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship, separation, and court battles, from when they are said to have started dating to the latest trial:

[24 June 2022 23:15 · Clemence Michallon]

A shouting spectator, Camille Vasquez and alpacas: Unlikely cult celebrities of Johnny Depp v Amber Heard

When a verdict was reached in the bitter defamation trial fought between divorced Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in Fairfax County, Virginia, credits rolled on the end of eight weeks of blockbuster drama devoured by online audiences around the world.

Fans of the estranged couple exhaustively documented the plaintiff and defendant’s every move and mannerism in court, their attorneys’ arguments, the judge’s interventions and a wealth of colourful witness testimony on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter, carving up what might have amounted to dry legal proceedings into a spectator sport.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

[24 June 2022 22:30 · Clemence Michallon]

Amber Heard felt ‘less than human’ during trial

Amber Heard told Savannah Guthrie of NBC News during an interview that she felt “less than human” during the defamation trial.

“Every single day I passed, for three, four, sometimes six blocks, city blocks with people holding signs saying ‘burn the witch’, ‘death to Amber’. After three and a half weeks, I took the stand and saw just a courtroom packed full of Captain Jack Sparrow fans, who were vocal, energised,” Ms Heard said.

“Can you put into words how that felt?” Ms Guthrie asked.

“This was the most humiliating and horrible thing I’ve ever been through. I have never felt more removed from my own humanity,” Ms Heard said. “I felt less than human.”

Gustaf Kilander reports:

[24 June 2022 21:55 · Clemence Michallon]

Camille Vasquez to represent Johnny Depp again

Camille Vasquez, the surprise star of the legal team that successfully argued the defamation case against Amber Heard for Johnny Depp, will once again represent the actor in court.

Alongside fellow Brown Rudnick partner Randall Smith, Ms Vasquez will defend Mr Depp in a personal injury lawsuit filed against him by Gregg “Rocky” Brooks, location manager on the movie City of Lies.

The trial is set to begin on 25 July in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with Judge Holly Fujie presiding.

Oliver O’Connell reports:

[24 June 2022 21:10 · Clemence Michallon]

Influencer claims Johnny Depp confided in her during trial

Johnny Depp reportedly confided in an influencer who was covering his trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Jessica Reed Kraus, who goes by the username @houseinhabit on Instagram and has more than 900,000 followers, posted daily updates about the six-week defamation trial to her account.

On Tuesday, Kraus claimed in a post shared to Substack that she spoke with Depp on the same day that the trial began, on 11 April.

Chelsea Ritschel reports:

[24 June 2022 20:30 · Clemence Michallon]

A possible appeal

Attorney Lisa Bloom believes we have not seen the end of the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial, and that the case will be decided on appeal.

Ms Bloom, whose clients have included Janice Dickinson (in her allegations against Bill Cosby), actor Mischa Barton (in a revenge porn lawsuit), and Harvey Weinstein (for whom Ms Bloom was an early advisor before resigning) spoke to BBC Newsnight following the verdict in the defamation case.

Jurors announced on Wednesday (1 June) they had reached a decision in the case opposing Mr Depp and Ms Heard in Fairfax, Virginia. They found that Ms Heard defamed Mr Depp on three statements and that Ms Heard was defamed in one of three statements at the centre of her counter-suit. Mr Depp was awarded $10.35m in damages and Ms Heard was awarded $2m.

“I want to emphasize that this is not the end, because most defamation cases are really decided on appeal,” Ms Bloom told Newsnight, adding that she sees “a lot of issues on appeal” in the Depp v Heard case.