Johnny Depp appealing part of verdict that awarded Amber Heard $2M
Actor Johnny Depp is appealing a portion of the verdict that awarded his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, $2 million in the couple’s legal battle.
Depp’s attorneys on Wednesday filed a 44-page appellate brief with the Virginia Court of Appeals, according to The Hill. It contests the $2 million that was awarded to Heard, according to excerpts shared online by Law & Crime.
On June 1, a seven-person jury found after a six-week trial that Heard, 36, defamed Depp, 59, in a 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post about domestic violence although she did not mention him by name, People reported.
The jury awarded Depp more than $10 million in compensatory damages in his libel lawsuit against Heard, according to The Hill. But the jury also found that one of Depp’s lawyers had defamed Heard, and she was awarded $2 million in her countersuit claim.
The statement was made by Adam Waldman to the Daily Mail and was published on April 27, 2020, People reported. According to the newspaper, Waldman claimed that Heard and her friends “set up” Depp by calling police with claims of abuse in 2016. The jury, in awarding Heard the $2 million, found that Waldman was acting as an agent for Depp when he made his comment.
Amber Heard to appeal $10M judgment in Johnny Depp defamation case
The brief argued that the jury’s judgment “on that lone statement is erroneous” and that Heard’s case “was fatally flawed.”
In July, attorneys representing Heard filed a notice of appeal in Fairfax County, Virginia. According to The Associated Press, the document notified the Virginia Court of Appeals that Heard intended to appeal the judgment as well as rulings the judge made after the verdict, including rejecting Heard’s request to set aside the verdict and dismiss the lawsuit or order a new trial.
The three-page filing was reported by Deadline.
1980: Johnny Depp and Elton John (Photo by Lester Cohen Archive/WireImage)
1984: Nick Corri, Amanda Wyss, Johnny Depp, and Heather Langenkamp posing beside car in a scene from the film ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’, 1984. (Photo by New Line Cinema/Getty Images)
1987: Actor Johnny Depp and actor Peter DeLuise attend the FOX Television Unveils New Primetime Schedule on June 3, 1987 at the UN Plaza Hotel in New York City. (photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
1987: Johnny Depp poses for a portrait in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images)
2001: Actor Johnny Depp attends the premiere of the film "From Hell" October 17 , 2001 in Los Angeles, CA. (Vince Bucci/Getty Images)
2002: Actor Johnny Depp leaves the after party of the premiere of "Lost In La Mancha" on July 25, 2002 in London, England. (Photo by John Li/Getty Images)
2003: Actor Johnny Depp arrives at the World Premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" on June 28, 2003 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
2003: Actor Johnny Depp arrives at the premiere of his film, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" at the 60th Venice Film Festival August 28, 2003 in Venice, Italy. The annual Venice Film Festival is one of the oldest and most prestigious cinema events in Europe. The festival is scheduled to be held in Italy for ten days. Films are shown at venues all over the Lido. The festival traditionally sponsors non-Hollywood films and the top award is known as the Golden Lion. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
2004: Actor Johnny Depp (R) and Vanessa Paradis pose after The 9th Annual Critic’s Choice Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel on January 10, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
2004: Actor Johnny Depp (R) and Vanessa Paradis pose at the The Governors Ball after the 76th Annual Academy Awards at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel on February 29, 2004 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
2004: Actor Johnny Depp attends the "Finding Neverland" photocall at the 61st Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2004 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
2006: Johnny Depp attends the Tokyo Premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest" on July 10, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. The film will open on July 22 in Japan. (Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
2010: Actor Johnny Depp and actress Angelina Jolie attend "The Tourist" photocall at Villamagna Hotel on December 16, 2010 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
2013: Johnny Depp attends the ‘Lone Ranger’ Japan Premiere at Roppongi Hills on July 17, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. The film will open on August 2 in Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
Johnny Depp, right, filed a $2 million jury award to his ex-wife, Amber Heard, left. Depp’s lawyers filed the appeal in a Virginia court on Wednesday. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
2015: Actor Johnny Depp, dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow, of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES took part today in "Worlds, Galaxies, and Universes: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios" presentation at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2015 in Anaheim, Calif. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
2015: Actors Johnny Depp, dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow, of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (L) and Harrison Ford of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS took part today in "Worlds, Galaxies, and Universes: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios" presentation at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2015 in Anaheim, Calif. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
2016: Johnny Depp attends the European premiere of "Alice Through The Looking Glass" at Odeon Leicester Square on May 10, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
2016: Actor/Musician Johnny Depp of Hollywood Vampires performs onstage at Hessentags-Arena during the 56th Hessentag on May 29, 2016 in Herborn, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
2017: Actor Johnny Depp attends the premiere of Disney’s "Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" at Dolby Theatre on May 18, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
2018: Johnny Depp attends the UK Premiere of "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald" at Cineworld Leicester Square on November 13, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)
2019: Johnny Depp walks the red carpet ahead of the "Waiting For The Barbarians" screening during the 76th Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 06, 2019 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)
2021: Johnny Depp attends the "La Hija / The Daughter" premiere during 69th San Sebastian Film Festival at Kursaal, San Sebastian on September 22, 2021 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
2022: Actor Johnny Depp sits in his vehicle as he departs the Fairfax County Courthouse on May 27, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. Closing arguments in the Depp v. Heard defamation trial, brought by Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard, concluded today and jury deliberations begin. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
FILE PHOTO: Johnny Depp attends the "Jeanne Du Barry" press conference at the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2023 in Cannes, France.
