After six weeks of testimonies and confessions of personal information about their relationship, the Depp vs. Heard trial is coming to a close, and we’ve put together a list of probable outcomes.
The trial has received remarkable attention leaving Netizens and media obsessed. There has never been a trial that has been so widely publicized that people have taken advantage of it by live-streaming their reactions while watching it. And now the deliberations stage has begun, so it is up to the jury to decide who will be victorious, with millions of dollars on the line, but more importantly, their reputation at the stake.
Depp has filed a $50 million lawsuit against his ex-wife Heard, alleging that her op-ed in The Washington Post in 2018 defamed him and damaged his life. “I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture’s wrath,” the piece said.
The trial in relation to Depp’s lawsuit began on April 11, 2022. Six weeks passed, and there were numerous testimonials from the media, professionals, friends, and those who knew them. The former couple’s relationship was described as tumultuous in testimony.
On Friday, May 27, 2022, the legal teams for both actors — Johnny and Amber – presented their closing comments. The matter was then presented to the jury for deliberation.
This trial has a wide range of possibilities and consequences. Let’s take a look at some of the possible consequences we’ve enlisted:
Depp Comes on Top
Depp is cleared of being violent and is awarded a monetary award of up to $50 million, the sum for which Depp is suing his ex-wife.
What If Amber is Unable to Pay the Monetary Compensation?
“Then you get into all kinds of issues, including arguments over how it would be paid overtime, and people filing for bankruptcy. There aren’t many people with that type of cash on hand.” A specialist, David Banks, shared his thoughts.
Heard Wins the Case
If the jury decides in Amber Heard’s favor and it is shown that Johnny Depp is guilty of domestic abuse, she may be awarded up to $100 million in damages, which is the same amount she is seeking from her ex-husband.
Victory with no Financial Damage
There’s a third possibility: they may rule in favor of either of them, but decide to cancel monetary compensation for the trial.
What will happen if they are unable to reach a consensus?
The seven jurors must make a unanimous conclusion; if they are unable to do so, the case will be declared a mistrial, and both parties will have to agree to a new trial.
Share your thoughts about the upcoming court verdict in the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard Trial!
Appeal
There is the chance of an appeal, as there is in any civil case, and the media law trainer David Banks believes there is a strong likelihood. He said, “I suspect there will be an appeal, there is a lot at stake, the reputations and careers of two great movie stars.”
He said, specifically in reference to the Pirates of the Caribbean star, “This is very damaging to the reputation and their marketability. So I would be surprised if the jury rules against him that he would leave it at that.”
It gets slightly more difficult to forecast when the jury will reach a decision. It’s because, during the trial, there was a mountain of evidence produced. However, the verdict is still expected to be given in one to three days.
Jurors had a three-day Memorial Day weekend after the trial reached jury deliberation on May 27. As a result, the proceedings will continue on May 31, 2022.
