Actor Amber Heard is reportedly planning an appeal after losing a defamation lawsuit against her ex-husband Johnny Depp on charges of domestic violence.
Jurors in Virginia have ruled in favor of Depp’s defamation lawsuit on three counts, awarding the Pirates of the Caribbean actor $ 15 million (£ 12 million), which was later reduced by the judge to $ 10.35. million dollars.
Hurd’s spokesman Alafer Hall said the Aquaman actor plans to appeal the decision, according to the New York Times.
Hurd has demanded $ 100 million in a lawsuit against Depp, in which she claims she was slandered by his spokesman, who described her allegations as “fraud for abuse” aimed at profiting from the #MeToo movement. She succeeded in only one respect and received $ 2 million.
Depp’s lawyers convinced the jury that he did not attack Hurd and that her allegations of domestic violence in a Washington Post article slandered Depp and did so “out of malice” or knowing that the allegation was untrue.
In a statement after which did not mention the reported complaint, Hurd expressed his disappointment. She said: “I am even more disappointed with what this sentence means to other women.
Hurd added: “This is a failure. It takes the clock back to a time when a woman who talks and talks can be publicly embarrassed and humiliated. This rejects the idea that violence against women should be taken seriously. “
The unanimous decision of the jurors ended a seven-week trial involving dozens of witnesses and experts who are assessing whether Depp raped Hurd during their 15-month marriage.
Johnny Depp wins defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard – video
Lisa Bloom, a senior US lawyer who represented women whose allegations of sexual harassment led to the dismissal of Fox News presenter Bill O’Reilly, predicts that the Hurd-Depp case will be decided on appeal.
Speaking to BBC Two’s Newsnight, she said: “I want to emphasize that this is not the end, because most defamation cases are indeed decided on appeal.
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She added: “I have led a number of defamation cases, including Janice Dickinson’s representation against Bill Cosby, [when] we had to argue two appeals in this case, both of which were successful.
“I think this is an inconsistent sentence. How is it possible that Amber Heard was slandered when Johnny Depp’s lawyer said her allegations were fraudulent, and yet Johnny Depp was also slandered when he said he was a representative of domestic violence?
“She was also punished for defamation for the title of the article she did not write … I think this will be appealed. I think that in a year or two we will have a more definite answer and a way out in this case. “
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