After several hearings, the Johnny Depp – Amber Heard defamation lawsuit trial concluded. Depp won and he was awarded 15 million dollars as damages. However, the bigger prize for the veteran actor was his reputation and good name which he resurrected after damaging allegations by Amber Heard had put his career in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, told NBC News that the Aquaman actress couldn’t afford to pay such high a sum to Depp. Now, Depp’s lawyer has hinted that he might waive his claim for damages. We take a closer look at this story in this article.
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Why Johnny Depp Won’t Take $15M From Amber Heard
After Johnny Depp won the case, the amount awarded to him as damages by the Jury was ultimately cut to 10.35 million, in accordance with Virginia laws which limit punitive damages in defamation cases. As aforementioned, Heard’s lawyer had publically stated Heard couldn’t afford to pay such a sum. Now, Depp’s lawyer, Benjamin Chew, has hinted that Depp might not take the monetary damages from his ex-wife.
Recently, Good Morning America” host George Stephanopoulos asked Chew whether Depp might settle for a deal with Heard whereby the former waives the damages awarded to him, in consideration for Heard not appealing the case. Depp’s lawyer replied, “We obviously can’t disclose any attorney-client communications, but as Mr. Depp testified and as we both made clear in our respective closings, this was never about money for Mr. Depp,”. “This was about restoring his reputation, and he’s done that.”
This statement by Depp’s lawyer clearly hints that a settlement deal is possible between the parties. We’d have to wait and watch to see what the ex-couple decides.
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The Depp v. Heard Case: A Brief Note
Amber Heard had penned a Washington Post op-ed in 2018, in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic violence. Although the article did not mention Johnny Depp explicitly, Depp claimed that it hurt his reputation and damaged his career. He sued Heard for defamation and ultimately won 10.35 million in damages. Do you think Depp should waive the monetary damages awarded to him? Let us know your opinion in the comments section below.
