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Fairfax, Virginia (AFP) – A jury ended the second day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict in defamation allegations from Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard over their volatile and unhappy marriage.
The The seven-person civil jury heard closing arguments on Friday And I traded for about two hours before leaving for the Memorial Day long weekend. The jurors then traded another seven hours on Tuesday. They are due to resume deliberations on Wednesday in Fairfax County Court.
Deb Heard is suing for $50 million, accusing her of defaming him with an op-ed she wrote in 2018 that described herself as a “public figure who represents domestic violence.” Heard filed a $100 million counterclaim against the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star after his lawyer called her allegations a hoax. They accuse each other of ruining their careers.
certificate During the six-week trial, a series of shocking details of their short marriage emerged. Heard testified that Depp physically or sexually assaulted her more than a dozen times. During his testimony, Depp testified that he never attacked Heard, that she made up allegations of abuse, and that she was the one who physically attacked him multiple times.
During closing arguments, both sides told the jury that a ruling in their favour would give their clients their lives back.
On Tuesday, Depp’s lawyers asked Judge Benny Azcaret to instruct the jury to ignore part of the closing argument made by Heard’s attorney.
Depp’s attorneys said in their written submissions that Heard’s attorney told the jury that her decision in the case would send a message to “every victim of domestic violence everywhere.” Hear’s attorney, Benjamin Rothenborn, told the jury that Heard’s ruling “sends the message that no matter what you do as a victim of abuse, you always have to do more.”
“No matter how honest you are about your flaws and shortcomings in a relationship, you have to be perfect for people to believe you,” Rothenborn said.
Depp’s lawyers argued that Rothenborn’s argument incorrectly asked the jury to focus on a larger social purpose than the issue on which they are being asked to decide.
Depp’s lawyers argued, “Such an argument by Ms. Heard’s lawyer incorrectly invites the jury to decide the case ‘based on emotion and prejudice’ and the jury’s specific instructions are necessary to remedy this error.”
The judge told Depp’s lawyer in court that she would not accept the application because the case is now in the hands of the jury.
Heard’s PR firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposal.
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