Even before the verdict, Johnny Depp is in a celebratory mood in the trial of his ex-wife Amber Heard. It’s supposed to be a merry-go-round with his team in the five-star hotel. But how the process ends in the end is completely open.
Once the seven jurors have reached an agreement, their sentencing will be broadcast live on camera, as has the entire six-week trial to date. After the closing arguments by the lawyers of Johnny Depp (58) and Amber Heard (36) last Friday, the jury has been debating behind closed doors since Tuesday – Monday was a public holiday in the USA.
The jury must reach a verdict on whether Heard defamed her ex-husband on the basis of probability. Depp is suing his ex-wife for defamation for $50 million. Her 2018 Washington Post editorial about domestic violence destroyed his life and career. Heard counterclaimed $100 million. Statements stand against statements. Heard accuses Depp of domestic and sexual violence – he claims to be the victim himself: she physically abused him.
The jury members are strictly instructed to stay away from any media reports about the trial – but on Tuesday morning they could hardly miss the truck decorated by Johnny Depp fans as a pirate ship in front of the courthouse in Fairfax (US state Virginia). A giant poster of Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow was on the vehicle.
Not only for many “Pirates of the Caribbean” fans Amber Heard has long been considered guilty. Depp has been celebrated as a winner on social media for weeks. Therefore, just weeks after the trial began, Heard fired her PR team and hired new public relations professionals — yet users on Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit remain firmly on Depp’s side, accusing her of lying.
A TikTok user’s tattoo of Depp’s attorney Camille Vasquez received millions of likes. was last week
This makes their anonymity all the more important to the seven jurors – they deliberate in isolation from the public. They could come to different conclusions in their verdict: In her editorial, Heard did not explicitly name her ex-husband – but if the jury still agrees that Depp was clearly meant and slandered, he wins the lawsuit. Even then, however, the jury members could determine a different amount of compensation than the $ 50 million demanded by Depp – an amount that Heard should not have anyway.
In addition, the jury must determine whether Depp’s former attorney Adam Waldman defamed Heard on behalf of her ex-husband. Heard’s counterclaim is theoretically about $100 million — again, the jury could recommend a different sum.
In any case, for both sides in the process it does not seem to be primarily about money. Hollywood insiders emphasize that the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star wants above all to prove his innocence and restore his reputation. Because this is a civil, not a criminal, action, imprisonment for perjury is excluded. If the jury could not unanimously agree, the trial would burst. Then both sides could appeal and start a new court hearing.
In their closing arguments, Heard’s attorneys urged the jury not to make themselves “accomplices” to Depp. A guilty verdict by Heard would automatically put the jury on the same level as Depp’s “mistreatment”, “most despicable victim accusations” and his “global humiliation campaign”, according to the 36-year-old’s lawyers. They also criticized the actor for laughing in court.
In fact, Depp often appeared in good spirits in the courtroom. “My goal is the truth,” he announced at the beginning of the trial. He wants to present his version to the world. So it seems that part of his calculation has already worked out.
The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star is already in the mood to celebrate, insiders told Fox News Digital. Depp has been living in a luxury suite at the Ritz-Carlton in McLean for weeks. The 5-star hotel is just 15 minutes from the courthouse and right next to a branch of the upscale steak house chain, The Palm. “Many nights, Depp and his team spend $1000 on expensive wines here. His favorite item on the menu is the Chicken Parmigina,” revealed a source.
“The Palm” is famous for its caricature paintings of celebrity guests – once their bills top $15,000. Just last week, the painting of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star was put on the wall here. Now Depp’s autographed portrait hangs next to Nicolas Cage and Mike Tyson.
The original of this post “Even before the verdict, Depp is in a celebratory mood – but nothing has been decided yet” comes from Bunte.de.
