What's New  

Judge Formally Denies Amber Heard’s Request For A New Trial

By Oreoritse Tariemi

14 July 2022   |   10:03 am

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share on Telegram

A judge has rejected Amber Heard’s bid for a new trial in the defamation case with ex-husband Johnny Depp. The “Aquaman” actor’s lawyer had argued that one of the jurors had served improperly in the widely aired defamation case between her and Depp. Back in June, Heard was ordered to pay Depp $10.35million in damages…

Actor Amber Heard arrives in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., Thursday, April 28, 2022. Actor Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife actor Amber Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” (Michael Reynolds/Pool Photo via AP)

A judge has rejected Amber Heard’s bid for a new trial in the defamation case with ex-husband Johnny Depp.

The “Aquaman” actor’s lawyer had argued that one of the jurors had served improperly in the widely aired defamation case between her and Depp.

Back in June, Heard was ordered to pay Depp $10.35million in damages after she was found guilty of defaming the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star in an op-ed piece by a jury in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Heard’s lawyers had asked the judge to throw out the juror’s decision and declare a mistrial arguing that one of the jurors should not have served as the summons was intended for his father, who had the same name and lived at the same address.

However, Judge Penny Azcarate ruled that there was “no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing” by the juror and that the jury’s verdict should stand.

She noted that both sides had questioned and accepted all jurors at the start of the trial.

Judge Azcarate wrote, “Due process was guaranteed and provided to all parties in this litigation.”

Depp had sued Heard for defamation after she referred to herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse” in an opinion piece published in The Washington Post. Depp refuted claims that he hit Heard and said she was the one who turned violent in their relationship.

Heard counter-sued Depp, alleging that his attorney slandered her by referring to her allegations as a “hoax.” On one of Heard’s counterclaims, the jury awarded her $2 million in damages. Heard said she only hit Depp in self- or sister-defense.

After the jury’s verdict, Heard wrote on social media, “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disappropriate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.”