“Aquaman” star Amber Heard said Thursday she will appeal a grand jury’s decision convicting her of defaming ex-husband Johnny Depp when she claimed she was a victim of sexual violence.
A seven-person jury in Virginia ruled Wednesday that Heard defamed the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star and awarded him $10.35 million in damages.
The jury also decided that Amber Heard was defamed, and awarded her $2 million, according to Reuters.
Elaine Charlesson Bredehoft, one of Heard’s lawyers, said on NBC’s “Today” program that Depp’s team was “able to refute the massive amount of evidence” allowed in a British libel case that Depp lost. .
Johnny Depp filed a lawsuit against the British newspaper “The Sun”, which described him as “wife abuse”.
A London High Court judge ruled that Depp had offended Heard at least 12 times, but Heard’s lawyer was not allowed to tell the jury about that in the Virginia case, Bridehoft said.
“So what did Depp’s team learn from this? Demonization of Amber and refutation of evidence,” Bridhoft added.
“She is portrayed as a demon here. In this court a number of things were allowed that should not have been allowed, and they caused the jury to be confused,” Bridhoft said.
Depp said during the trial that he did not beat or sexually assault Heard, and argued that it was she who had turned violent during their relationship.
Heard said she slapped Depp only to defend herself or her sister.