Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s six-week-long trial ended with the jury unanimously declaring that Heard “acted with actual malice” with her 2018 op-ed piece about being a survivor of domestic violence. About the verdict, the actress claimed that it was a loss for all women, while Depp thanked the jury for giving him his life back. The decision was widely celebrated on social media, while some wondered about its impact on the #Metoo movement.
Now, Depp’s lawyers Camille Vasquez and Ben Chew have shared their opinions on the same. They also addressed Heard’s accusation that the jury was influenced by social media.
Johnny Depp’s Attorneys On Accusations That The Verdict Affects Women’s Rights
Camille Vasquez and Ben Chew gave an interview to Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos and talked about Johnny Depp’s defamation case victory against ex-wife Amber Heard. They were asked whether the widespread attention to the case on social media had any negative effect on women’s rights.
To this, Vasquez responded, “We’re only speaking about what happened in this case. And the facts, in this case, were overwhelmingly positive for Johnny and the verdict speaks for itself.”
Chew added, “My view is that social media played no role whatsoever. This was a decision made by the jury on the evidence presented by both sides, and as Camille said, it was overwhelmingly in Mr. Depp’s favor.”
The duo also answered questions about whether the verdict somehow affects the #Metoo movement. Vasquez said, “I think our response to that is we encourage any victim to come forward. Domestic violence doesn’t have a gender … We do not (think this has any negative impact on the #MeToo movement). We believe that the verdict speaks for itself, the facts are what they were, the jury made a unanimous decision based on those facts.”
Did Social Media Influence The Jury?
Vasquez and Chew shared their views on social media affecting the jury’s decision, as alleged by Amber Heard’s legal team, on the Today show. “No, I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that the jurors violated their oath. And again, that suggestion was disappointing to hear [from Heard’s lawyer],” said Chew.
Johnny Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages by the jury, which was reduced to $350,000 due to the state’s statutory cap. Chew stressed that it “was never about money for Mr. Depp … this was about restoring his reputation — and he’s done that. It was a total win for Johnny.”
Also Read: Camille Vasquez Is Receiving Offers From Hollywood And Law Firms After Johnny Depp Trial Win
