Johnny Depp manufacturers Amber Heard's strive at mistrial a 'fail'

Table of Contents

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard noticed in a Fairfax, Va., court docket on Might 3, 2022. Photograph by way of JIM WATSON /Getty Photographs

Johnny Depp’s attorneys have a message for his ex-wife Amber Heard: it doesn’t subject if the incorrect juror confirmed up for his or her contentious defamation trial, you continue to need to pay up.

On Friday, Heard’s attorneys made a last-ditch effort to have the $10.35 million judgement towards their consumer thrown out bringing up the revelation that probably the most jurors who discovered the Aquaman actress to blame of defaming Depp was once by no means summoned to court docket.

“On this case, it sounds as if that Juror No. 15 was once now not, actually, the similar person as indexed at the jury panel,” legal professional Elaine Bredehoft wrote in a commentary got by way of Time limit. “Ms. Heard’s due procedure was once due to this fact compromised. Underneath those cases, a mistrial will have to be declared, and a brand new trial ordered.”

In step with the redacted submitting, Time limit studies, the summons for jury accountability was once despatched out to a Virginia resident in April. However there have been two other folks dwelling on the similar deal with — a 77-year-old (who was once the only summoned) and a 52-year-old (who confirmed up in court docket).

“The person who gave the impression for jury accountability with this identify was once clearly the more youthful one. Thus, the 52-year-old … sitting at the jury for 6 weeks was once by no means summoned for jury accountability on April 11,” violating Heard’s due procedure rights, the submitting endured.

“Because the Courtroom certainly has the same opinion, it’s deeply troubling for a person now not summoned for jury accountability however to look for jury accountability and serve on a jury, particularly in a case equivalent to this.”

However in a reaction Monday, Depp’s attorneys fired again pronouncing that Heard didn’t turn out that her defence was once thwarted by way of the mistake.

“Unsurprisingly, Ms. Heard cites to no case regulation to fortify her argument that the provider of Juror 15 if he isn’t the similar person that the Courtroom assigned as Juror 15 by some means compromised her due procedure and would warrant the drastic treatment of ‘environment apart the decision and ordering a brand new trial,’” Depp’s attorneys wrote in a commentary got by way of Selection. “Ms. Heard makes no appearing of any prejudice, and accordingly her speculative arguments fail.”

A memo filed by way of Depp’s attorneys, and got by way of Time limit, added, “Although understandably displeased with the result of trial, Ms. Heard has known no legit foundation to put aside the least bit the jury’s resolution. Virginia regulation is obvious {that a} verdict isn’t to be put aside until it’s ‘it appears that evidently incorrect or with out proof to fortify it’ … Mr. Depp respectfully submits that the Courtroom will have to deny Ms. Heard’s Put up-Trial Motions, which verge into the frivolous.”

We say sorry, however this video has did not load.

Depp sued Heard for $50 million, accusing her of defaming him with a 2018 op-ed she wrote for the Washington Put up during which she described herself as “a public determine representing home abuse.” The 3-time Oscar nominee claimed her article ruined his profession and ended in a sequence of cancelled movie initiatives, together with a 6th Pirates of the Caribbean function.

Remaining month, a seven-person jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages (which is capped at $350,000) over the thing.

After the decision, probably the most jury participants who dominated in Depp’s favour advised Excellent Morning The united states that they didn’t suppose Heard’s testimony was once plausible.

“The crying, the facial expressions that she had, the staring on the jury — all folks have been very uncomfortable…,” the juror stated.

The Solar has despatched emails to Heard’s reps in search of additional remark.

[email protected]