Verdict Announced In Johnny Depp/Amber Heard Case

The jury ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in the $50 million defamation suit launched by Johnny Depp against Amber Heard on Wednesday.

The 7-person civil jury unanimously agreed that Johnny Depp has successfully proven the defamatory implications made against him by Heard, and that Heard calling him a sexual abuser was defamation. The jury agreed Heard’s accusations in the Washington Post op-ed were malicious in nature. In civil case CL20192911, the jury ruled on all statements in question. They agreed the statements Heard made were false and awarded $15 million in Depp’s favor — $10 million in compensatory damages, and $5 million in punitive damages. $2 million was awarded in Heard’s favor based on the accusation by Depp’s legal team that Heard concocted her story under the direction of her lawyer.

Depp was notably absent from the courtroom. Before reading the verdict, the judge set the tone and cautioned those in attendance in court.

“This is the court of law and just to remind everybody I will not tolerate any outbursts whatsoever,” the judge said, according to the live video stream from E!News. That statement was followed by an unexpected pause. The long-awaited verdict was delayed as the judge ordered a recess, requesting an adjustment be made to the documents that were initially submitted.

(RELATED: Joe Rogan Shreds Amber Heard’s Legal Team, Has One Wish For Johnny Depp)

The trial has been held in Fairfax County, Virginia, and has monopolized headlines for over six weeks. Depp sued Heard after she published an op-ed that implied he had abused her, but didn’t reference his name. The couple revealed numerous, explosive allegations of abuse against one another throughout the trial. After taking turns shredding one another’s reputations with dramatic stories about the most intimate moments in their relationship, the jury has laid this trial to rest.