Amber Heard says she 'doesn't blame' jury for Depp trial verdict

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Amber Heard, 36, filed a motion for a retrial earlier this month after a jury ruled in favour of her ex-husband Johnny Depp, 59, during his defamation case against the Aquaman actress. Lawyers representing Heard filed the court documents on the grounds that the verdict she had defamed DePp was not supported by evidence, but their request has since been denied by Judge Penny Azcarate, according to reports.

What we expected!

Ben Chew (Johnny Depp’s lead attorney)

Amber’s lawyers asked the judge to set aside the verdict on multiple grounds, including an apparent case of mistaken identity with one of the jurors.

In the lengthy 43-page memorandum, Amber’s lawyers argued that the verdict should be thrown away on the grounds that during the trial, Johnny “proceeded solely on a defamation by implication theory, abandoning any claims that Heard’s statements were actually false”.

Mr Depp’s legal team responded to the motion as “outlandish” in court documents released on Monday.

However, in documents obtained by the MailOnline, the Judge Penny Azcarate denied all of Heard’s post-trial requests on Wednesday.

In a statement to Courthouse News, Depp’s lead attorney Ben Chow responded to the motion saying: “What we expected, just longer, no more substantive”.

It comes after Depp’s legal representatives also filed court documents on Monday requesting the judge reject his ex-wife’s motion.

Ms Heard has also repeatedly admitted that she is unable to pay the $10.35 million in damages she owes to her ex-husband.

One of the actress’ appeals was based on Juror 15 who was written to be a 77-year-old man, but a 52-year-old man, who shared the same last name and address, was improperly seated for the six-week trial.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star’s lawyers say that Amber’s team’s complaints about the juror’s identity are irrelevant and would have caused no prejudice to the actress during the trial.

They said that the former Aquaman actress had access to these so-called “facts” months ago and did not act on them.

Depp’s team said: “Ms. Heard’s desperate, after-the-fact demand for an investigation of Juror 15 based on a purported error in his birth date is…misplaced… Moreover, Ms. Heard’s argument is based on pure speculation.

“Following a six-week jury trial, a jury of Ms. Heard’s peers rendered a verdict against her in virtually all respects. Though understandably displeased with the outcome of the trial, Ms Heard has identified no legitimate basis to set aside in any respect the jury’s decision.

“Virginia law is clear that a verdict is not to be set aside unless it is ‘plainly wrong or without evidence to support it.’ Va. Code § 8.01-680.

“Here, the verdict was well supported by the overwhelming evidence, consistent with the law, and should not be set aside. Mr. Depp respectfully submits that the Court should deny Ms. Heard’s Post-Trial Motions, which verge into the frivolous.

They concluded the statement: “For all the reasons set forth above, Mr. Depp respectfully requests that this Court deny Ms. Heard’s frivolous Motion in its entirety and reject her outlandish requests to set aside the jury verdict, dismiss the Complaint, or, in the alternative, order a new trial, and investigate Juror 15.”

The Hollywood actor was awarded $10.35 million in damages from his ex-wife, while she was awarded $2 million in damages from him.

Ms Heard made it clear since the verdict that she would be unable to pay the damages, with her representation admitting the day after that she would appeal it.

A source close to the actress said she “considers her career in Hollywood over” and “has nothing to lose” following a disastrous few months.

Mr Depp claimed he had been defamed by his ex-wife when she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post about domestic violence – although the actor was not named.

Express.co.uk has contacted Amber Heard’s representatives for comment.

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