After a jury ruled in Johnny Depp‘s favor in his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, the actress’ attorney claimed she can’t pay the $10.35 million in damages.
During an appearance on the Today show, which aired on Thursday, June 2, Elaine Bredehoft said “Oh, no, absolutely not,” when asked if her client had the ability to pay the assigned amount.
The judge announced on Wednesday, June 1, that Depp, 58, would be awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Heard, 36, for her part, was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages and no punitive damages for her counterclaim.
The Texas native will only have to pay $10.35 million after the judge reduced the amount due to a Virginia law capping punitive damages. According to Entertainment Weekly, Heard plans to appeal the verdict.
Following the trial’s conclusion, Heard took to social media to address her reaction. “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” she wrote via Instagram. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.”
The Aquaman actress noted that her worries extended beyond her own involvement in the case. “I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated,” she continued. “It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”
Heard concluded: “I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the U.K. I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American — to speak freely and openly.”
Depp, who was not present at the hearing, reflected on how “humbled” he felt by the jury’s decision.
“From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome,” the Kentucky native claimed in a statement to Us Weekly on Wednesday. “Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.”
The Pirates of the Caribbean star added that he felt “overwhelmed” by the “outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness” that he received amid the legal proceedings. “I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media,” he stated.
The former couple, who were married from 2015 to 2017, sued one another for defamation following their tumultuous relationship. Depp argued that an essay his ex-wife wrote in December 2018 about being a survivor of domestic abuse negatively impacted his acting career.
Heard, who penned the article two years after she filed for divorce, didn’t mention his name in the Washington Post op-ed. The Drive Angry actress also alleged that she lost out on jobs due to the high-profile split and their lengthy court battles.
