Months after the close of their tumultuous defamation trial, Amber Heard has made her legal move against her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, official. Fox News reports that Heard’s legal team filed a fresh appeal in the case, arguing that since a separate trial previously ruled in favor of Heard and her claims of abuse against Depp, the jury in their most recent trial should not have been able to declare him innocent. They also argue that the trial should have been held in California instead of Fairfax County, Virginia.
“To find in favor of Depp, the jury must have concluded that Depp did not abuse Heard and that Heard knowingly lied in accusing him of abuse. But, to find in favor of Heard, the jury must have concluded that Heard told the truth about being a victim of domestic abuse by Depp,” Heard’s lawyers wrote in the new appeal filings. “Accordingly, the verdict against Heard cannot stand.” The legal papers also stated that Heard believes the outcome will “undoubtedly will have a chilling effect on other women who wish to speak about abuse involving powerful men.” She is seeking to have the verdict overturned, thrown out, or for a whole new trail.
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In what may seem like a very surprising move, Depp also recently appealed his own defamation verdict against Heard. In their verdict, the jury found that Heard did defame Depp in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed about domestic abuse, and awarded the Edward Scissorhands actor more than $10 million. However, the just also awarded Heard 2 million in a separate claim, finding that Depp’s lawyer, Adam Waldman, did defame her.
TMZ reports that Depp has filed to have the jury’s verdict against him, arguing that he should not be responsible for his lawyer’s words. “So Amber and her friends spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight under the direction of a lawyer and publicist,” Waldman said, “and then placed a second call to 911.” In his appeal, Depp says that Heard’s lawyers failed to prove Waldman’s comments were delivered with malicious intent, which is a requirement for proving defamation. Heard and her legal team stated that they planned to appeal the verdict, which they previously did under seemingly different circumstances. The Daily Mail reports that Heard has also hired a new lawyer to help with the massive legal bills she’s built up over the years, due to the case.
