As the jury reached a verdict in the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, both parties were quick to react to the decision reached in the case. While both stars were found to have defamed each other, there was an overwhelming ruling in Depp’s favor, with the jurors deciding that all of the claims put forward by the Pirates of the Caribbean star were true. This led to Depp being awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages by the jury, while Heard was awarded $2 million for the one claim of hers that was ruled to be defamatory.

Immediately after the verdict, Depp, who was tonight in the United Kingdom due to his already planned musical tour in the country, released a statement which read:

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“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.

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.

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.

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.”

The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Trial Has Captured the Public’s Attention

     CBS

From the moment it began, the cameras have been rolling on the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, allowing the world into the courtroom to hear evidence and testimonies firsthand. This has led to a massive surge in social media and online discussions about who is at fault, who is lying and who should win.

Now the verdict has been reached. While both stars were found to have defamed each other, there has clearly been a winner in who was perceived to have been more truthful by the jury. While neither party gained the sums they were suing for, Johnny Depp has gained the greater victory that hoped to achieve from the start of this trial – the belief that he could tell his side of a story that was mostly hidden for many years. As he said in his statement, now a new chapter begins for both of them, but there is no doubt that this will not be the last we hear about the verdict.