Enlarge image
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in the courtroom in Fairfax in May
Photo: Steve Helber/AP
Hollywood actors Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have settled their legal battle.
Heard made this "difficult decision" after careful consideration, the 36-year-old wrote on Instagram on Monday, several months after a jury verdict in the defamation trial, after which she had to pay more than ten million dollars (about 9.5 million euros). Depp (59) was committed.
This is not an admission of guilt, Heard wrote.
"I'm making this decision after losing faith in the American legal system, where my unprotected testimony served as entertainment and fodder for social media," she explained.
“Even if my US appeal is successful, the best outcome would be a new trial, with a new jury looking at the evidence again.
I just can't go through this a third time."
Depp's attorneys said the settlement included a $1 million payment from her to him to settle all financial claims.
“We are pleased to be able to formally close this painful chapter for Mr Depp, who has made it clear throughout the process that his primary concern was getting the truth out.
The unanimous jury decision and resulting verdict in favor of Mr Depp versus Ms Heard stands in full,” it said.
In June, a jury in Fairfax, Virginia, found Heard to pay millions in damages to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor for defamation.
Depp was only sentenced to pay two million dollars in damages to the actress known for films such as "Aquaman" and "The Danish Girl".
Depp sued Heard, to whom he was married between 2015 and 2017, for $50 million in damages.
The reason was a post by Heard for the Washington Post from 2018, in which the actress described herself as a victim of domestic violence.
Heard did not name her ex-husband;
However, the 59-year-old argued that the accusation was clearly aimed at him and had seriously damaged his career.
Heard and Depp had previously faced each other in court in the UK in 2020.
At the time, Depp sued the British tabloid The Sun, which had described him as a "wife bully."
Heard then testified as a witness – and Depp lost the process.
The actress now drew parallels between the processes in Great Britain and the USA on Instagram.
In London, a "robust, impartial and fair" legal system proved her right and prevented her from "explosing the worst moments of my testimony to the world's media".
In the US trial, on the other hand, important evidence that would have substantiated their allegations was not even admitted.
"Popularity and power" meant more than reason and a fair trial, she herself was humiliated, Heard explained.
The actress was showered with ridicule and hate messages from many Internet users during the process.
Continuing the litigation would not only impose heavy financial costs on her, but also "psychological, physical and emotional" costs, according to Heard.
»Time is valuable and I want to use my time productively and purposefully.«
aeh/AFP/dpa/AP
