Johnny Depp and Amber Heard settle in defamation lawsuit appeal

Barely two weeks after Amber Heard formally appealed the final verdict in the defamation lawsuit won by Johnny Depp, The interpreters and the former couple have reached an agreement thus avoiding undergoing the process again. Recall that first the trial was resolved in favor of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor to whom Heard would have had to pay 15 million dollars, reduced to 10.35 million, but in turn would have received 2 million dollars in compensation by Depp Compensatory. Before anyone could pay anyone, Depp formally appealed the verdict, and Heard appealed on Nov. 23, but it looks like we won’t have to revive that media circus.

As reported by Variety, Heard released a statement explaining why he has decided to withdraw his appeal and compares the experience in the US legal system to that of the UK, where Depp sued The Sun for calling him an abuser in an article and the judge found the allegations to be false. “essentially certain”. In the press release, which you can read below, he also criticizes the fact that the cameras during the trial ended up turning the whole trial into entertainment for social networks.

Translated Heard statement

“After much deliberation, I have made the difficult decision to settle the defamation lawsuit filed against me by my ex-husband in Virginia.

It’s important for me to say that I never cast him. I stood up for my truth and in doing so my life as I knew it was destroyed. The vilification I faced on social media is an amplified version of all the ways women are revictimized when they come forward. Now I finally have the opportunity to emancipate myself from something I tried to leave over six years ago and on terms I can accept. I have not admitted anything, this is not an act of concession. There are no restrictions or gags for me to keep raising my voice.

I am making this decision because I have lost faith in the American legal system, where my unprotected testimony has served as entertainment and fuel for social media.

When I appeared before a judge in the UK, I was defended by a strong, just and fair system, where I was protected from having to share the worst moments of my testimony before the world’s media, and where the court found that I have experienced domestic and sexual violence. In the United States, on the other hand, I have exhausted almost all of my remedies before and during a trial in which I was subjected to a courtroom in which abundant direct evidence in support of my testimony was excluded and where popularity and power mattered more than reason and due process. In the meantime, I’ve been exposed to some sort of humiliation that I just can’t relive. Even if my US appeal is successful, the best outcome would be a retrial in which a new jury would have to consider the old evidence. I can’t face it a third time.

Time is money and I want to spend my time productively and with purpose. For too many years, I have been embroiled in an arduous and costly legal process that has failed to protect me and my right to free speech. I cannot afford to risk an impossible bill, not only financially but also psychologically, physically and emotionally. Women shouldn’t face abuse or failure for speaking their truth, but unfortunately that’s not uncommon.

In resolving this case, I am also choosing the freedom to devote my time to work that has helped me heal after my divorce; work that exists in environments where I feel seen, heard and believed and where I know I can make a difference.

I will not allow myself to be threatened, discouraged or discouraged by what has happened as a result of telling the truth. No one can and no one will take it away from me. My voice will always remain the most precious possession I have.

I would like to thank my incredible Appellate and Original Trial team for their tireless hard work. I want to thank everyone who has supported me and draw attention to the growing support I have felt and seen publicly in the months since the trial and the efforts that have been made to show solidarity with my story. Every survivor knows that the ability to tell their story often feels like the only relief. I can’t find enough words to tell you how confident I am that you believe in me. Not just for me, but for all of you.

Thank you. Soon”.

It hasn’t been revealed whether this deal only affects Heard’s appeal or cancels Depp’s as well, but according to Deadline, The ‘Aquaman’ actress has already paid her ex at least $1 million. Depp and his team have not made any statements or responded to the media.