'Heartbroken' Amber Heard issues statement, calls defamation verdict 'setback for women'

After the gruelling six-week-long trial proceedings in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation trial, the jury has given their verdict. The jury unanimously sided with Depp on the case which means that his ex-wife Heard lost the battle after he was fined USD 2 million as compensatory damages by the jury.

The jury in their verdict ruled that the Aquaman star fabricated defamatory abuse claims against the Pirates of the Caribbean star. In return for the defamation trial, the Virginia panel of seven members, granted $15 million to Depp for the damages. Now, post the verdict, Amber issued a statement and revealed how the judgment was a "setback" for her. 

Amber Heard issues statement post defamation trial

The statement marked her social media presence ever since the trial began in the Virginia court. The actor who was highly disappointed by the verdict, in her statement hared that she was left 'heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power.'

The star also emphasized that she was "sad" to have "lost this case." Stating that she was 'publicly shamed and humiliated,' Heard wrote, "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband." She continued and mentioned the potential social implications of the verdict which according to her were not fair. "I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke up could be publicly shamed and humiliated," she said. "It sets back the idea that violence against women should be taken seriously."

 

Continuing, the 36-yer-old star wrote, "I believe Johnny's attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the U.K." 

Apart from the verdict that was given in favour of Depp, the court also decided that the 58-year-old actor's lawyer, Adam Waldman, defamed Heard by telling the Daily Mail that her assault claims were a "hoax," and gave her $2 million in damages.
Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that Depp sued Heard in December 2018 for an op-ed she penned for The Washington Post in which she identified herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse." 

IMAGE: Instagram/AmberHeard