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- Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation in March of 2019.
- A Fairfax, Virginia court has since ruled in Depp’s favor, agreeing that Heard defamed him.
- Depp has released a public statement about his victory in the lawsuit.
Johnny Depp has made a public statement after a Fairfax, Virginia court ruled in his favor in his $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
The verdict, which was delivered on Wednesday afternoon, ruled in Depp’s favor and demanded that Heard pay him $15 million in damages.
Depp originally filed the $50 million lawsuit against his ex-wife back in March 2019, alleging that she implicitly accused him of domestic violence in a 2018 op-ed that was published in The Washington Post.
Johnny Depp releases a public statement about winning his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard
Speaking through a spokesperson, Depp delivered the following statement to the New York Post about the verdict:
“Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. All in the blink of an eye,” Depp’s statement reads.
“False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career. And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.” [via New York Post]
It will certainly be fascinating to see where Depp’s career goes from here, as the 58-year-old actor has largely been blackballed from Hollywood in recent years, having appeared in just two films since 2018. Depp was also replaced by Madds Mikkelsen in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise.
You can find the rest of Depp’s lengthy statement to the New York Post below:
“My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought.” “From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.”
“I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media,” the father of two said.
“I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth.”
“The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun. Veritas numquam perit. “Truth never perishes,” Depp concluded.