Putting the feud to rest. Amber Heard has officially settled with Johnny Depp amid their contentious defamation lawsuit.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star originally filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife in March 2019, a year after she penned an op-ed for the Washington Post in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Seeing as the article came a year after their divorce, many assumed she was referencing Depp despite the fact she never called him by name.
After a weeks-long trial in Virginia earlier this year, a jury decided they had both defamed each other, though the verdict largely sided with Depp. Heard was slammed with a court order to pay $10.35 million in damages while her former partner only had to pay $2 million for a statement made by his attorney. But, of course, they both filed appeals and it was seeming like they might have to head into a new trial to settle the case for good. Until now!
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On Monday, the Aquaman star announced she has called an end to the case by agreeing to a settlement with the actor. In a statement shared on Instagram, the 36-year-old revealed:
“After a great deal of deliberation I have made a very difficult decision to settle the defamation case brought against me by my ex-husband in Virginia. It’s important for me to say that I never chose this. I defended my truth and in doing so my life as I knew it was destroyed. The vilification I have faced on social media is an amplified version of the ways in which women are re-victimized when they come forward. Now I finally have an opportunity to emancipate myself from something I attempted to leave over six years ago and on terms I can agree to. I have made no admission, this is not an act of concession. There are no restrictions or gags with respect to my voice moving forward.”
She went on to slam the US legal system for allowing her to become the center of such heated media scrutiny — much unlike the 2020 case in the UK in which she was The Sun’s chief witness when Depp sued the British tabloid for calling him a “wife beater.” She noted:
“I make this decision having lost faith in the American legal system, where my unprotected testimony served as entertainment and social media fodder. When I stood before a judge in the UK, I was vindicated by a robust, impartial and fair system, where I was protected from having to give the worst moments of my testimony in front of the worlds media, and where the court found that I was subjected to domestic and sexual violence. In the US, however, I exhausted almost all my resources in advance of and during a trial in which I was subject to a courtroom in which abundant, direct evidence that corroborated my testimony was excluded and in which popularity and power mattered more than reason and due process. In the interim I was exposed to a type of humiliation that I simply cannot re-live. Even if my US appeal is successful, the best outcome would be a re-trial where a new jury would have to consider the evidence again. I simply cannot go through that for a third time.”
We cannot fault her there. What she went through was intense! We suspect doing it all over again would only be more challenging.
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Not to mention she has a young child she’d like to prioritize in this next chapter of her life, she continued:
“Time is precious, and I want to spend my time productively and purposefully. For too many years I have been caged in an arduous and expensive legal process, which has shown itself unable to protect me and my right to free speech. I cannot afford to risk an impossible bill – one that is not just financial but also psychological, physical and emotional. Women shouldn’t have to face abuse or bankruptcy for speaking her truth, but unfortunately it is not uncommon.
In settling this case I’m also choosing the freedom to dedicate my time to the work that helped me heal after my divorce; work that exists in realms in which I feel seen, heard and believed and in which I know I can effect change.
I will not be threatened, disheartened, or dissuaded by what happened from speaking the truth. No one can and no one will take that from me. My voice forever remains the most valuable asset I have.”
The actress ended things on a high note by acknowledging those who stuck up for her throughout the legal battle, writing:
“I’d like to thank my outstanding appellate and original trial teams for their relentless hard work. I want to thank everyone who has supported me and I turn my attention to the growing support that I felt and seen publicly in the months since trial, and the efforts have been made to show solidarity with my story. Any survivor knows that the ability to tell their story often feels like the only relief. I cannot find enough words to tell you the hope your belief in me inspires. Not just for me, but for all of you.
Thank you. See you soon.”
According to TMZ sources on Monday, Amber agreed to pay Johnny $1 million as part of the settlement. Interestingly, she won’t be spending a dime since the funds will be coming from her insurance company. He’ll apparently be making a pledge followed by a contribution to several charities using the cash — a total dig at Amber’s previous contribution controversy, if you as us!
Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew also reacted with the following statement on Depp’s behalf:
“We are pleased to formally close the door on this painful chapter for Mr. Depp, who made clear throughout this process his intent to bring the truth to light. This was never about the money. The jury’s unanimous decision and the judgment in his favor against Ms. Heard remain fully in place, and the payment of $1M reinforces her acknowledgment of the legal system’s rigorous pursuit for justice.”
You can see Amber’s full announcement (below).
Whoa. Just like that, the case is closed. Thoughts? Let us know (below)!
The post Amber Heard SETTLES Johnny Depp Defamation Case -- And She Owes Him WAY Less Money! appeared first on Perez Hilton.