The Verdict, Reaction, and Implications of the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard Trial
The Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial has finally concluded with victory in Depp’s favour. Here’s everything you need to know.
This article will mention cases of domestic abuse and violence. If these pose as a trigger to you, please avoid reading any further.
After a gruelling six weeks of intense courtroom drama and back-and-forth domestic abuse accusations, the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial has finally come to an end in Depp’s favour. Earlier this morning, the court ruled that both parties were found liable for defamation, with the jury awarding Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages as compared to Heard’s small compensation of $2 million in damages, marking a significant victory for Depp’s case.
Following their split in 2017, the ex-couple has been outspoken about their tumultuous marriage. In 2018, Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post – titled “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change,” where she cited her ex-husband’s abuse without ever mentioning his name. A year after that, Depp sued Heard for $50 million for defamation over the article, which was then settled in court today.
The Reaction
Both parties have taken to social media to give their thoughts on the verdict, with Depp thanking fans and the members of the courtroom for their support throughout the duration of the trial and Heard expressing her disappointment with the results of the case.
Read their personal statements here:
The Troubling Implication
Although the trial is over, the implications of its verdict are far more dangerous than many would think – particularly it being a step back from any progress made during the run of the #MeToo Movement. Since the ruling earlier today, many women have come forward on social media to express their disappointment and fear for the future of abuse cases.
this verdict is going to set women, the me too movement and all abuse victims back so far it's actually unbelievable
— bethany (@fiImgal) June 1, 2022
very weird to see people celebrating a verdict on here that's going to clearly make it harder for victims of abuse to hold their abusers accountable in court without being threatened with defamation
— husky dave grohl (@saulmalone) June 1, 2022
I don't care how you feel about Johnny Depp or Amber Heard - this is a very bad day for women who are victims.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) June 1, 2022
The silence so many fought against for so many years will once again descend over survivors of sexual violence and domestic violence.
The joint consensus? The fear of speaking out on abuse without it resulted in as messy a case as Depp and Heard’s.
Regardless of where you stand when it comes to the trial, we don’t have to tell you just how bad Heard’s name and character were defiled on social media, particularly by the general public and pro-Depp fans on prominent platforms like Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram during the course of the televised trial.
Scenes from the courtroom retelling serious instances of violence and abuse from both parties in the past were often taken out of context and re-edited into memes, edits and jokes on social media, vilifying Heard’s reputation and using her as a scapegoat for the "wrongs" of women everywhere.
amber is a cisgender white woman with money, power and access. kesha was a cisgender white woman with money, power and access. if this is how the court rules against them it will be even harsher on women of color, harsher on black women, harsher on trans women. it trickles down.
— brianna (@bribrisimps) June 1, 2022
people already going after evan rachel wood, megan thee stallion and melissa benoist is literally so concerning and if you think that trial had nothing to do with that and that it was a win then idk what else to tell you bc it’s literally just gonna get worse from here
— Iyk (@joonthors) June 1, 2022
Ultimately, the verdict acts as a setback to all the courageous women who were beginning to come forward with their instances of abuse. “This is a gag in the mouths of victims who were just beginning to speak,” echos Meghan, a domestic abuse survivor. “This case is my worst fear playing out on a public stage. [It] tells me that [my ex] was right. If he chose to, he could destroy and humiliate me beyond repair.”
“From a #MeToo standpoint, it’s bad and dangerous,” says Susan Seager, UC Irvine law professor and a 1st Amendment legal expert in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “It sends a bad signal to men and women or whoever is the abuser that you can sue your victim and ruin them by bringing them to court for a defamation case.” She continues: “It sends a signal that if you have the money to hire a lawyer — or even hire a defamation lawyer on contingency, they get a cut of your win — you can succeed against an accuser.”
“The jury sent a clear message with this verdict: Do not make false accusations of domestic violence,” she concludes. “If you do, there is a steep price to pay!”
One thing's for sure – it's a chilling and trying time ahead for the future of the movement.
