Amber Heard is disappointed, while Johnny Depp states that the best is yet to come. Image Source: People 

Amber Heard is disappointed, while Johnny Depp states that the best is yet to come.

The jury ruled that Johnny Depp was able to establish that his ex-wife Amber Heard defamed him by writing an op-ed that was published in the Washington Post in 2018 in which she came out with domestic violence and assault charges, and the judgment was revealed on Wednesday.

The jury’s verdict was announced at the Fairfax County Court, Virginia after they deliberated for almost 12 hours, and they awarded Johnny Depp with $15 million ($10M for compensatory and $5M for the damages) and Amber Heard with $2 million after she won one of the three defamation counts.

Amber Heard voiced her disappointment and heartbreak at the judgment read in the Fairfax County Court in a social media post after the verdict was revealed, saying she was "beyond words" upset and sorrowful. Despite the mountains of evidence she presented to the jury to show who was mistreated in the relationship, she said it was not enough to stand up to Johnny Depp's enormous power, influence, and harshness. Amber Heard went on to say that what bothers her the most is that this choice would generate difficulties for other women.

The actress said that the judgement turns back the clock to a time when a woman who stood up and spoke out might be publicly disgraced and humiliated before adding, that it takes the people back to the time when violence against women were not taken seriously. Amber Heard concluded by stating that she believes that Johnny Depp’s attorneys were successful in persuading the jury to ignore the essential question of freedom of expression and to disregard evidence that was so convincing that Amber Heard's team had won the trial in the United Kingdom. She ended by noting that while she is unhappy that she lost the case, she is even more disappointed that she has lost the freedom to speak freely and honestly that she believed she had as an American.

Johnny Depp, who was not present in the courthouse when the verdict was announced, but published a statement while being in the United Kingdom, adding that his life, the lives of his children, and those closest to him, as well as those who have supported and believed in him over the years, changed forever in the blink of an eye six years ago. The actor went on to explain that the media manufactured false, severe, and criminal accusations against him, leading to an onslaught of negative information although no charges were ever brought against him.

According to the actor, the news of the claims against him had already traveled across the world twice in a nanosecond, having a seismic impact on his career and life, and the jury at Virginia had returned his life to him after six years. Johnny Depp, who is going to perform with Jeff Beck as he tours in the United Kingdom, said in his statement that he is profoundly humbled and that his choice to pursue the case, knowing the high legal barriers he would face and the inevitable global spotlight it would bring to his life, was reached after much thinking and consideration.

Johnny Depp continued and said his goal with the trial from the beginning was to get to the truth, regardless of the outcome, since telling the truth was something he owed to his children, Lily-Rose Depp, and Jack Depp, as well as everyone who stood by him. He continued by saying that he is now at rest knowing that he was able to do this and that he is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, huge support, and generosity from all around the world.

Johnny Depp’s statement he said that he hopes that his quest for the truth has benefited other men or women who have found themselves in a situation similar to him and that those who support them will never give up. The actor expressed his belief that the status quo will henceforth be "innocent until proven guilty," both in court and in the eyes of the public. Johnny Depp went on to thank the jurors, Judge Penney, the court staff, and the sheriffs for sacrificing their own time to get to this point, as well as his tireless and unshakable legal team, who helped him share the truth with their hard work and outstanding job. The best is yet to come, according to Johnny Depp, and a new chapter for him has finally begun. He concluded his remarks by stating that "truth never dies."