Johnny Depp News Update: The contentious and public defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard came to an end on Friday when both parties rested their cases and the judge handed the matter over to the jury.
The jury will now deliberate through the case’s facts and findings before reaching a decision next week. The high-profile defamation trial has taken a number of unexpected turns. However, the question on everyone’s lips today is what will happen.
According to news reports, Johnny Depp is overwhelmingly favoured to win his divorce case against his ex-wife. But what does it mean for Amber if he wins?
Johnny has sued Amber for $50 million, claiming she defamed him in a Washington Post op-ed in 2018 when she claimed to be a victim of domestic violence. Even though Amber did not name Johnny, his lawyers claim that the implication harmed his career. Amber was also allegedly abusive to him during their marriage, according to him.
Amber countersued for $100 million, claiming that he slandered her reputation by labelling her a liar. She has claimed that she was physically and sexually abused by Johnny. Both trials lasted over six weeks in a Virginia courtroom. The hearings came to a close on May 27.
If the jury finds that Amber did defame Johnny, she could be ordered to pay the full $50 million as demanded by Johnny. The jury can also recommend a lesser amount in damages if they see fit. However, the case is a civil dispute and is being tried in the court as one. No criminal charges have been filed and as per Virginia law, new charges cannot be filed at this stage. This effectively means that neither party can go to prison if found guilty. So even if Johnny wins the case, Amber will not go to prison.
The same holds true for Johnny Depp, if Amber ends up winning the case. However, if that does happen, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor may have to pay her the $100 million she has asked. Here too, the jury can recommend a lesser amount if they deem necessary.
Amber Heard is offline, as Johnny Depp is suing her
However, the fact that it isn’t a criminal case is actually good news for both parties. In the American legal system, civil suits have a lower burden of evidence for proving the accusation as compared to criminal cases. According to an explainer from the legal department of Cornell University, in criminal cases, it needs to proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that the accused is guilty. However, in a civil case, the jury can simply come to a verdict based on which person or party is most likely to be correct.
This has resulted in some unusual outcomes in the past, most notably in the infamous OJ Simpson case. In the early 1990s, the American football star was accused of murdering his ex-wife and her boyfriend. In the criminal case, he was found not guilty. However, in a subsequent civil lawsuit, OJ was sentenced to pay millions of dollars in damages.
On Tuesday, the jury in the Amber Heard vs. Johnny Depp case will reconvene and resume deliberations. However, there is no specific deadline for the decision. It could arrive on Tuesday or it could take a few days longer.