Celebrity
Judge Officially Rules Amber Heard Must Pay Johnny $10.35 Million For Defaming Him
Both awards are subject to 6% interest per year.
Judge Penny Azcarate, presiding over the defamation trial of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, has officially filed a written order that the Aquaman star, 36, must pay the actor $10.35 million for damaging his reputation. Depp was also ordered to pay Heard, 36, $2 million as he had been defamed by one of her ex-husband’s lawyers.
The jury’s award was made official on Friday after Judge Penny entered a judgment order into the court record following a brief hearing in Virginia.
Notably, Depp had sued Heard over a December 2018 article for The Washington Post in which she described herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. The new order or perhaps judgment was a formality after the jury had announced its verdict earlier this month, primarily siding with the 59-Year-Old actor.
This comes as Heard suggested she plans to appeal against the verdict.
In #JohnnyDepp v. #AmberHeard, judgement entered. Judge Azcarate was no nonsense as usual. No request for an injunction by JD team (I didn't expect that at all). Also, AH will have to post settlement plus 6% interest / year bond to appeal. More soon @LawCrimeNetwork
— Angenette Levy (@Angenette5) June 24, 2022
But Judge Penny explained if Heard does appeal, she must post a bond for the full $10.35million while the appeal is pending. Her order also detailed that both awards are subject to 6% annual interest. Amid the sensational televised trial, the couple had shared lurid details of their short marriage, which made headlines worldwide.
However, on June 1st, the jury ruled in Depp’s favor on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in Heard’s op-ed and found he should receive $ 10 million in compensatory damages. They also ruled he should be handed $ 5 million in punitive damages, but the judge reduced this to $350,000.
