Amber Heard talks about the cross-examination. Image Source: PEOPLE
Amber Heard lays out her truth once again.
Amber Heard, who recently appeared for her first post-verdict interview with NBC’s Dateline special with Savannah Guthrie, was asked about the six-week-long defamation trial between her and ex-husband Johnny Depp at the Fairfax County Court, Virginia. Johnny Depp had sued Amber Heard over an essay she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018, two years after the former couple settled their divorce. In the op-ed, Amber Heard described herself as a survivor of domestic abuse and violence and even though the op-ed did not name Johnny Depp, it was pretty obvious for the audience that she meant to write it about him especially after she obtained a restraining order against the actor in 2016.
The actress said that the cross-examination by Johnny Depp’s legal team about her sexual assault claims against Johnny Depp was one of the most terrifying, most humiliating, and intimidating things she has been through and added that she was not believed and was labeled as a liar. She has previously mentioned that the trial which was televised for the world is one of the most humiliating and embarrassing things she had to go through.
Amber Heard said during the interview that there was evidence that was not allowed in the courtroom which could have changed the verdict, and that evidence was the notes from her therapist to whom she was reporting the abuse, but the judge said that the evidence was hearsay and dismissed them. Amber Heard is sticking to her truth and saying that she was abused at the hands of Johnny Depp but added that no part of her wishes any ill for the actor.
On asking why she said yes to the interview, Amber Heard said that she wants people to see her as a human being and not someone who is out here for revenge because the interview would be a lousy way to do that. The actress also mentioned that she still has a love for her ex-husband Johnny Depp and said that she understands that it’s very hard for people to understand, but she sticks by her testimony and every word she said in the courtroom.
When asked what she plans to do now, Amber Heard stated she will be focused on being a full-time mom to Oonagh Paige Heard for the time being, and that she won't have to juggle lawyer calls. Amber Heard had proclaimed her intention to have a kid on her terms and wanted to help normalize not requiring a ring to have a baby, but Oonagh Paige Heard's birth stunned many people on social media.
Amber Heard said that when Oonagh Paige Heard is old enough and she decides to tell her daughter about the trial and what she has been through, it will mean something and she will make sure that her daughter knows that her mother did the right thing. She did everything she could to stand up for herself and tell her the truth. Somewhere in the interview she said that the op-ed was not about her relationship with Johnny Depp.
The actress said that she is scared that she might get sued again and added that no matter what she does, what she says, every step that she will take is an opportunity for the sort of silencing which she explained that, according to her, is the reason a defamation lawsuit is meant to do. It’s meant to take your voice away. Amber Heard released a statement saying that she is disappointed and hurt that the jury was able to overlook all the evidence and testimonies that she provided and decide that she defamed Johnny Depp in her op-ed that was published in 2018.
Amber Heard went on to say that she regrets how some members of the public reacted to her, describing herself as "not a good victim," "likable victim," and that she is not asking anyone to like her, but rather to see her as a human being.From the interview, Amber Heard stated that what she has learned during the trial is that it will never be good enough and that if you had proof, then it was a plot, a fabrication. It didn't happen if you don't have proof. It's a fake bruise if you have one. You were not hurt by violence if you don't have a bruise. You're hysterical if you tell people. It didn't happen if you didn't tell anyone. Sounds similar to what Elaine Bredehoft said in her closing statement.
A Virginia jury in the Fairfax County Court awarded Johnny Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive penalties on June 1. Judge Penney Azcarate of the Fairfax County Circuit Court eventually lowered the punitive damages to $350,000, the state's legal maximum, bringing his total damages to $10.4 million. Amber Heard was also given $2 million in compensatory damages by the jury.
Amber Heard's attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, confirmed on June 2 as she appeared for two interviews that Amber Heard is disappointed with the verdict and feels that she has let the women out there down and plans to appeal the verdict. She also mentioned that she does not have the money to pay the debts.
