According to his lawyers, Johnny Depp brought Amber Heard to court in the United States in order to clear his name. If Ms. Heard does not file an appeal against the trial verdict, the actor’s legal team was asked if the judgment might be waived.
Following Mr. Depp’s victory in the defamation action, his legal team Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew have appeared on a number of American television shows.
On Good Morning America, the two were asked if Mr. Depp would consider waiving Ms. Heard’s $8 million judgment, which her team claims she cannot afford.
The show’s co-anchor George Stephanopoulos asked: “Is it possible we could see a settlement where she forgoes the appeal in return for Mr. Depp waiving any monetary damages?”
His legal team responded by saying the case was about “restoring” Mr. Depp’s reputation and reiterated the defamation trial was “never about the money” for him.
“This was about restoring his reputation and he’s done that,” Mr. Chew said.
“We have to be careful what we say, but this was about Mr. Depp’s reputation, that’s what is what it was about for him.”
They also criticized Heard’s claim that she lost the trial because he is more powerful and popular than she is, calling the claim “utterly ridiculous” and claiming that the jury just didn’t like her because she, unlike Johnny, “didn’t take ownership for anything.”
He might even waive the $8 million judgment Amber was forced to pay him, according to the duo. Her lawyers claim she can’t pay it, and she announced Wednesday that she intends to appeal.
Asked whether or not they would waive the judgment, Depp’s attorneys said: ‘This was never about money for Mr. Depp. This was about restoring his reputation and he’s done that.
‘We have to be careful what we say but this was about Mr. Depp’s reputation but that was what it was about for him.’
It comes as Ms. Heard’s legal team announced that she intended to appeal the jury’s decision in Virginia’s Fairfax County District Court, which sided with Mr. Depp.
Mr. Depp was granted compensatory damages of $10 million (£7.9 million) and punitive damages of $5 million (£3.9 million).
After a jury concluded that one of Depp’s lawyers had defamed her, Heard was given $2 million (£1.6 million) in compensatory damages.
Ms. Heard claimed the trial was a setback for women’s rights in a statement released following the verdict.
She said: “It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.
“It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”
Mr. Depp was in the UK when the jury reached a verdict in Virginia.
He was seen greeting fans and relaxing with Sam Fender at a pub in Newcastle.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
