Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial: news 28 May, deliberations, verdict...
WATCH: Courtroom footage from the final day of the Depp v Heard trial
Friday was the final day of courtroom action in the defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, with both sides delivering their closing arguments at the Circuit Court in Fairfax Country, Virginia.
Yesterday concluded weeks of testimony from both parties and a whole host of witnesses. With closing arguments now finished, the jury has begun its deliberations.
CONTENT WARNING: The embedded live feed comes direct from inside the courtroom, where strong language and references to content including sex, violence and drug abuse are possible. Discretion is advised.
What has happened in the trial this week?
Attorneys for Johnny Depp have attempted to discredit Amber Heard’s abuse claims in the former couple’s defamation trial on Tuesday, introducing a knife she gave as a gift to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star and affectionate notes she wrote to him.
At the start of Tuesday’s proceedings, lawyer Camille Vasquez asked jurors to examine the knife Heard bought for Depp in 2012. Heard had testified that Depp had already become violent toward her by that time.
“This is the knife you gave to the man who would get drunk and violent toward you?” the lawyer asked. “This is the knife I gave him as a present, yes,” she said, adding that she did not think he would stab her with it.
Camille Vasquez, an attorney with Brown Rudnick, a major international law firm, has been leading the cross-examination.
According to the firm, her expertise is in “parallel reputation management and crisis communications issues arising from these engagements.” She was hired to form part of Depp’s team based on her experience in “plaintiff-side defamation suits” and contract litigation.
She received her undergraduate degree from the Univeristy of Southern California and her J.D. from Southwestern Law School in 2010.
She was selected to form part of Depp’s team based on her experience representing individuals through defamation suits that arose from ”highly-publicized accusations of criminal conduct.”
Could either Depp or Heard get a prison sentence?
Regardless of the outcome, there is no chance that either Johnny Depp or Amber Heard receive a prison sentence, or even get a criminal charge, as a result of the court’s decision. That is because the ongoing case is a civil trial, not a criminal case, and neither party is being tried on any criminal charges.
A civil court case sees one entity (the plaintiff) accuse another (the defendant) of some wrongdoing or harmful act, without bringing a criminal charge against them. When someone is sued for their actions, a civil case is brought.
Crucially, the burden of proof is significantly different for a civil case. Rather than having to prove wrongdoing beyond any reasonable doubt, the plaintiff simply has to show that the balance of probability in the case sides with them.
A successful plaintiff will typically receive some form of compensation from the defendant.
The very public court case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has put both actors’ personal lives in the spotlight. In the course of the weeks’ worth of testimonies, a number of famous faces have been referenced in the former couple’s relationship.
Correspondence between Depp and Heard has been presented to the jury, as well as reams of messages sent from both parties to friends regarding their situation.
On Wednesday Depp’s messages to his friend, talent agent Christian Carino, were read out in court, with reference to billionaire Elon Musk, who started a relationship with Heard after she had split with Depp. He referred to the Tesla CEO as ‘Mollusk’ on several occasions, writing “Let’s see if Mollusk has a pair.”
The trial was initially scheduled to end on Thursday May 19. However, with significant evidence yet to be considered extra time was given to ensure the jury would be in full appreciation of the information they have been given.
The new end date for the trial was May 27, but on Thursday May 26 both sides rested their cases. This won’t be the end of proceedings, as the jury will still need to give their verdict on whether Heard did defame Depp in her Washington Post article. It is expected the jury will deliver its verdict in the coming week.
Minds have turned to what the outcome of the court will be, specifically who will get what once the jury has made its decision.
The jury will meet again on Tuesday to continue deliberations. Though the case is being heard in court, there are no criminal charges that are or can be brought against either person. This is due to the case being a civil disupte and not a criminal case. There is no chance that either Depp or Heard will go to prison.
With the closing arguments surmised by the lawyers, the court case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has nearly reached the end.
If the jury find that Heard did defame Depp than she could be ordered to pay the full $50 million, or the jury could recommend that Depp is awarded more or less than that amount.
What was said in the closing arguments?
[Amber Heard] ruined his life by falsely telling the world she was a survivor of domestic abuse at the hands of Mr. Depp.
In Mr. Depp's world, you don't leave Mr. Depp. If you do, he will start a campaign of global humiliation against you.
This case for Mr. Depp has never been about money. It is about Mr. Depp's reputation and freeing him from the prison in which he has lived for the last six years.
In a trial full of drama, perhaps none is as visceral as the one concerning Johnny Depp’s finger. Both parties have differing stories on the matter though both of them testified in court that theirs was true. This libel case for tens of millions of dollars is pretty ugly.
Kate Moss, the world renowned supermodel from the United Kingdom who had previously been in a relationship with Johnny Depp, testified on Day 22 of the Pirates of the Caribbean actor’s defamation case against Amber Heard.
Moss was asked by Depp’s lawyer about a rumoured incident, one that Heard had referenced, whereby Depp had pushed her down a flight of stairs. Speaking via video link from Gloucester, England, Moss testified that she fell down the stairs because it was raining and Depp never pushed her. She then elaborated her brief answer by saying that after hurting her back he came to her aid.
Welcome to AS USA
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the defamation trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. We'll bring you all the latest as the trial has concluded and the jury is deliberating, making this the final break in the case.