After six weeks of witnesses giving evidence and dominating headlines, the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard defamation case is over.
The jury has now heard the closing arguments after six weeks of testimony. US Defamation Trial between actor Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard and the high profile case that has dominated headlines has come to an end.
Thursday (26 May) saw the final witnesses take the stand with a dramatic appearance via video link from British supermodel Kate Moss on Wednesday, in which she said that Depp had “never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs”.
The trial officially ended on Friday 27 May, after lawyers for both sides made their final closing statements, after which the jury was asked to retire, deliberateAnd reach a verdict on whether or not Heard defamed Depp in her 2018 Washington Post article at the heart of the case.
What was the closing argument?
Both sides ended the multimillion-dollar defamation suit with closing remarks. They urged jurors to consider other options. victims of domestic abuse.
The Aquaman actress’ legal team highlighted the message that a verdict found in Depp’s favour would send to others, whereas Depp’s team said that her claims were “an act of profound cruelty to true survivors”.
In his closing remarks, Benjamin Rottenborn, representing Heard, said that a verdict in Depp’s favour would demonstrate to abuse victims that they would “always need to do more”.
“The facts are absolutely overwhelming, of abuse,” he told the jury.
“Mr Depp simply cannot prove to you that he never once abused Amber, and if you don’t know, you have to return a verdict for Ms Heard.
“A ruling against Amber here sends the message that no matter what you do as an abuse victim you always need to do more.
“No matter what you document you always have to document more, no matter who you tell you always have to tell more people.
“No matter how honest you are about your own imperfections and shortcomings in a relationship you need to be perfect in order for people to believe you.
“Don’t send that message – that’s what [Depp] wants you to do.”
Rottenborn said that Nightmare on Elm Street actor was “running head-long into the first amendment” of the US Constitution and urged members of the jury to “stand up” for freedom of speech.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to tell Mr Depp that this was ‘last chance’,” he said.
“Tell him to move on with his life. He should tell Amber to move on with her life.
In her closing remarks, Depp’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, said the “mountain” of evidence that Depp assaulted his former partner was “simply not there”.
Vasquez began by reminding jurors of Heard’s May 27 2016 restraining order against her former spouse.
“In doing so ruined his life by falsely telling the world that she was a survivor of domestic abuse at the hands of Mr Depp,” she said.
“On May 27 2022, exactly six years later, we ask you to give Mr Depp his life back. What is at stake in this trial is a man’s life.”
She added: “It is disturbing to think Ms Heard would make up the horrific tales of abuse that she testified to in this courtroom.
“What Ms Heard testified to in this courtroom is a story of far too many women, but the overwhelming evidence and weight of that evidence is that it is not her story.
“It is not Ms Heard’s story.
“It was an act of profound cruelty not just to Mr Depp, but to true survivors of domestic abuse for Ms Heard to hold herself out as a public figure representing domestic abuse.
“It was false, it was defamatory and it caused irreparable harm.”
