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In the weeks since Johnny Depp won his defamation suit against Amber Heard, it seems that not a day has gone by without a new update about Heard’s efforts to appeal the verdict.
Earlier this week, things looked promising for Team Amber, as Heard’s attorneys requested that the judge declare a mistrial in response to a shocking allegation.
The lawyers claimed that one of the jurors had lied about his identity and responded to a summons intended for his father, who lives in the same house.
This act of fraud, Heard’s attorneys claimed, invalidated the verdict reached by the seven-person jury in Virginia.
Needless to say, it sounded like Amber had pretty solid grounds for her request for a mistrial.
Unfortunately for Heard, the judge did not see things her way.
According to a new report from TMZ, Judge Penney Azcarate has rejected the fraud claim for one simple reason:
The juror summons that was sent to the house did not list a date of birth, which means it could have been for the 52-year-old son, or his 77-year-old father.
As far as we know, there was no “Jr.” or “II” to indicate whether the father or son was the intended recipient.
But since the judge rejected Amber’s request instead of asking for further information, we’re guessing that she’s reviewed the document and determined that no such information is available.
In other words, Heard’s request is dead on arrival.
And that’s the only bad news for the actress.
Amber’s attorneys asked the judge to set aside the verdict for numerous reasons, and it sounds like Judge Azcarate was not convinced by any of their arguments.
It also sounds like the judge is annoyed by the implication that the jury was improperly vetted.
“The juror was vetted, sat for the entire jury, deliberated, and reached a verdict,” Azcarate wrote.
“The only evidence before this Court is that this juror and all jurors followed their oaths, the Court’s instructions, and orders. This Court is bound by the competent decision of the jury,”
Depp was awarded $10.35 million in damages by the jury, while Heard’s counterclaim resulted in $2 million in compensatory damages.
Attorneys for Heard have unsuccessfully argued that the conflicting judgments indicate incompetence on the part of the jury.
In the filing that was rejected by the judge, Heard’s lawyers alleged that “the jury’s dueling verdicts are inconsistent and irreconcilable.”
Heard is not out of options, and she will likely appeal the verdict again, on grounds that were not included in her previous filing.
In the meantime, she’s asking the judge to reduce the amount of the ruling against her, arguing that it’s excessive.
But it sounds like Heard is fighting an uphill battle on that front, as well.
Depp sued for $50 million, alleging that major studio offers dried up, and he lost out on several years of work because of a 2018 Washington Post essay in which Heard described herself as a victim of domestic violence.
His lawyers argued that plans for a sixth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise were put on ice due to Heard’s allegation.
That project alone would have paid Depp $22.5 million.
Since the jury found in Depp’s favor, they were probably convinced that his lawyers’ argument about the lost earnings was sound.
In other words, Heard’s $8.35 million debt to her ex-husband is unlikely to go away anytime soon.
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