Amber Heard set to appeal jury’s decision in defamation case against Johnny Depp

The verdict on the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation lawsuit was delivered just yesterday, June 1, but Heard has made up her mind to appeal the decision. The jury ordered her to pay $15 million in total damages to her ex-husband, which was later reduced to just over $10 million due to Virginia laws, but the Aquaman star doesn't intend to go down without a fight.

The decision came after a tumultuous six-week trial that saw the two actors reveal the most intimate details of their 15-month marriage several years ago, with no holds barred. The jury sided in favor of Depp on every count of his lawsuit, and they agreed to only one count of Heard's countersuit.

There is no doubt that $10 million is a lot of money for anyone to pay, even a prominent actress like Heard. As a result, the actress plans to appeal the decision as soon as possible. She stated on Twitter yesterday that she felt disappointed beyond words after her decisive loss.

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Amber Heard planning to appeal jury's decision in favor of Johnny Depp

Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft made an appearance on the Today show and said that her client wants to appeal the decision since there are "some excellent grounds for it." Bredehoft claimed that Heard was demonized during the trial and said:

"A number of things were allowed in this court that should not have been allowed, and it caused the jury to be confused.”

Bredehoft went on to say that Heard "absolutely" can't pay the damages, as ordered by the jury, to Johnny. While her inability to pay may be a driving factor in her decision to appeal, it also likely that she truly believes that she was wronged by the jury.

Depp and Heard (Image via Sky News)

In her Twitter statement posted yesterday, Heard pointed out:

"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. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously."

Heard and her legal team believe that they have strong grounds for appealing the verdict. As per Bredehoft, the trial held in the United Kingdom after Depp sued The Sun for libel because they referred to him as a 'wife-beater' came to a different conclusion, despite most of the primary facts remaining the same. Bredehoft reminded the viewers that the UK court "found that Mr. Depp had committed at least 12 acts of domestic violence, including s*xual violence" against her client.

Bredehoft expressed her belief that social media, with its widespread coverage of the trial, influenced the jurors. The overwhelming support for Depp might have encouraged them to rule in his favor.

It seems that Amber Heard will be appealing the decision in the near future. We have to wait and watch for the outcome.