#JusticeForJohnnyDepp Explodes After Johnny Depp Wins Big In Defamation Trial

Actor Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard finally learned their fate in the defamation trial that has been making headlines for over a month.

The couple had been facing each other at the Fairfax County Circuit Court for most of the past month. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor had sued his ex-wife for $50 million over a December 2018 op-ed Heard wrote for the Washington Post where she claims that she is a domestic violence survivor.

Although Heard did not mention Depp by name, he testified that he has lost movie roles due to the “clear implication” that he was her abuser. Heard claims that she has also been losing out on movie roles and endorsement deals, including several scenes from the upcoming “Aquaman” sequel, and is countersuing for $100 million dollars.

On Friday, May 27, the jury heard closing arguments from their respective legal teams before they went to deliberate. Although they had Monday off to commemorate Memorial Day, the jury had reached a verdict by Wednesday morning.

Unfortunately for Johnny Depp fans, he was not actually in the courtroom when a verdict was read on Wednesday afternoon. The verdict was supposed to be announced precisely at 3 PM local time. However, the judge noticed that the jury had failed to fill out the damages on the form and quickly sent them back in to rectify the issue.

Depp has actually been performing around the U.K. with Jeff Beck for most of the past week. However, Amber Heard was in the courtroom, looking somber but composed. She kept her eyes cast down as the jury ruled that she did act with malice in three statements in her 2018 Washington Post op-ed. They awarded Depp $15 million dollars out of his $50 million dollar lawsuit.

Although Heard had sued for $100 million, she was only awarded $2 million dollars in what marks a clear win for Depp. Even though Depp wasn't there, fans were going crazy outside the courtroom as they cheered his name.

There was only praise for Depp and his legal team, consisting of attorneys Camille Vasquez and Ben Chew. "People turned against Amber Heard, not because Johnny Depp is a powerful man or a famous actor, but because we watched the trial and saw who was telling the truth and who wasn't," one user tweeted.

Another user shared a photo of the legal team hugging and celebrating their major victory. "They really were a power house and it couldn't have been done without them," they tweeted.

Another fan shared a quote that had come up several times during the trial, where Amber Heard mockingly told Depp to "tell the world" that he was a victim of domestic violence. "And he told the world and WON," they tweeted.

Many fans shared quotes that had been spoken throughout the trial, including one spoken by Johnny Depp while he took the stand. "No matter what happens, I did get here and I did tell the truth," he told the jury. "And I have spoken up for what I've been carrying on my back reluctantly for six years."

Author Patrick Bet-David called the verdict "a win both for men and women."