Editors Note: Jill Filipovic is a journalist based in New York and author of the book OK Boomer, Lets Talk: How My Generation Got Left Behind. Follow her on Twitter. I felt as though I was on trial in the court of public opinion. Perhaps she was, but writing an op-ed in The Washington Post is not exactly the way to reclaim ones privacy. The image of Heard, a woman whose brand is bombshell blond glamour, is now linked, perhaps permanently, to excrement. Were supposed to believe that the trial is a grotesque celebrity sideshow, a media circus, a distraction from the ongoing crises of war and climate change. On the contrary, it handed the gossip industry new material. And so what's sort of, like, on display is the dynamics of our, you know, cultural fandom sort of interacting with how, you know, we as a society view women. Yes, Bedera responded. To a casual observer, the case seems to be about two deeply dysfunctional people who both saw their emotional dysregulation made exponentially worse by their romantic relationship. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously." UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny. "Given the timeline of the events leading to Heard's statements, including inconsistencies in the couple's joint statement just one year before her statements in the Washington Post op-ed, it doesn't surprise me that there is more sympathy for Depp than Heard in this case," Lau said. It doesnt mean he seriously thought about doing it. The ruling was made in 2020. But the impact of this trial isnt limited to its outcome or what that says about the story either side is telling. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The misogyny of fandom has produced toxic results before, and what is a woman particularly one who may be the victim of emotional or physical abuse supposed to take away from the vitriol this trial has unleashed? That has to change. Although she didnt name her ex-husband in the piece, Mr. Depps legal team argues that there was a clear implication that he was the abuser, and these allegations hurt his film career. Depp won $10 million in compensatory damages and, $5 million in punitive damages.. This article was amended on 3 June 2022 to specify the defamation count on which the jury ruled for Amber Heard, and to give the sum awarded to Johnny Depp by the jury as $15m (later reduced by . And while they arent going to make him the lovable hero in the next movie, they could make him the hate-able villain or the lovable villain.. The six-week-long trial is meant to decide whether statements made in the media by both actors have cost them their public image and potential earnings. I cant look away from the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial. They have both accused each other of physical and emotional abuse. Depp is a world-famous and much-beloved actor. appreciated. Heard published an op-ed in The Washington Post, and in it, she wrote that she had become a, quote, "public figure representing domestic abuse," end quote. Amber Heard testifies that Johnny Depp hit her on May 4, 2022. Heard was granted a restraining order against Depp in 2016 after claiming he had struck her face with a phone and she was then subjected to an online backlash from fans of the star. ", "In a defamation case, the jury needs to ascertain the truth of the underlying statements," Lau continued. Opinion: Jurors in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard case face choice over which actor to believe. What does she wear? Reps for Depp and Heard declined to comment. Dont these institutions have an obligation to first determine the truth behind the charges and if they find reason for concern, how serious the misdeed? Millions more will see the short, fan-made clips . Thats what a six-week trial, televised every day, thats what they were counting on would happen, Ahouraian said. This brand of hyperbole is often aired in divorce courts. Actor Johnny Depp waves to the gallery as he leaves for a break Monday during his defamation trial in Fairfax, Va. against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Experts say. I need him on his best behavior and he gets one shot.. BENJAMIN CHEW: We are also most pleased that the trial has resonated for so many people in the public who value truth and justice. The ruling was made in 2020. And his lawyers also made the argument that the original Washington Post op-ed was timed to publish so that it boosted publicity for the "Aquaman" movie that Amber Heard starred in. Who's the one that's wearing the pants in the family?" Robin Abcarian is an opinion columnist at the Los Angeles Times. (Jim Watson/Pool/AFP). However, there was a subsequent outpouring of support from Twitter users who pointed out systemic disbelief of women who come forward with stories of abuse. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Social media doesnt care about the facts, they just care about what they see.. And the reality is that Johnny Depp is facing a lot of consequences for committing acts of violence, not just to Amber Heard but also for volatile behavior on set. But now it seems that outpouring of support has left Heard with Depp currently being more vocally backed on Twitter. Copyright The Mining Journal | https://www.miningjournal.net | 249 W. Washington, Marquette, MI 49855 | 906-228-2500, public figure representing domestic abuse., I felt as though I was on trial in the court of public opinion., nor have I ever struck any woman in my life.. And a lot of people made up their minds after week one of the case or day three of the case. Amber Heard 's defense rested its case on Thursday after an exhaustive six-week trial. But here in the States, Depp testified that Heard was the abuser, that she punched him and once threw a bottle of vodka at him, which cut his finger. "If he was going to leave she would strike him to keep him there. Why is there such a disparity? And, you know, now, Depp's argument for suing her was that the op-ed was baseless and that it cost him roles, you know, including another "Pirates Of The Caribbean" movie. If Heard wanted out of such a marriage, she certainly had good reason. Her father had beaten her, she was not going to end. Behavioral analyst Susan Constantine, who specializes in reading body language and detecting deception, says she does "not believe" Johnny Depp "was abusive with" his ex-wife, Amber Heard, based on both of their testimonies during Depp's defamation trial against Heard. Still one can find fault with the tactics applied by one of the combatants. There's a real history between the parties and their entire marriage will be on display in this case; the good, bad and ugly," Lau told Newsweek. Johnny Depp, 58, is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for US$50 million (NZ$76.5m), claiming she defamed him in her 2018 Washinton Post op-ed where she described herself as a victim of domestic abuse . First Amendment scholars say the battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is unlikely to have any deep significance for the law. Butin the court of public opinion, Depp was announced the winner from day one thanks to internet trolls. Sign up today. But Im among the numberless hordes who are gruesomely fascinated by the spectacle unfolding in a Virginia courtroom, and on social-media platforms around the world. There is enough evidence to support Johnny Depp 's $50 million claim of defamation. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In a highly-publicized court case, his ex-wife Amber Heard appeared as a witness on . While Depp is not named in Heard's piece, his legal team insists that it is strongly inferred that the article is about him. Actor Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife Amber Heard for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post, which chronicled her experiences as a domestic abuse survivor. A small number of accounts can drive conversations on Twitter, he said. MARTINEZ: That was NPR's Andrew Limbong. A public spectacle that's proving as dangerous as it is divisive. Now, Heard denied that and testified that Depp was routinely, like, jealous and angry and abusive and even sexually assaulted her. The most expert insight probably comes from the couples marriage counselor. LIMBONG: Now, I should add that Heard did countersue, and then the jury also awarded her $2 million. On sites like Twitter and TikTok, the actress was branded a psycho, a witch, a liar and much worse. So this was back in 2018. Its very strange when one day youre Cinderella so to speak, then 0.6 seconds later, youre Quasimodo, he testified Tuesday. [There is] a lot at stake for her. Johnny Depp won his defamation trial, and Amber Heard has partially won her countersuit against Depp. Winning it would just be icing on the cake for him because his main goal for filing the defamation lawsuit was to clear his name and to appeal to the court of public opinion.. We know that men's rights activist forums, for example, have been following the Heard case pretty carefully.". Heard has admitted hitting Depp, and has been recorded insulting and belittling him. He said she might fling an ashtray at his head or hit him with her high heel or a telephone or whatevers handy., In our house, he said, we were never exposed to any type of safety. He filed a libel lawsuit against her, claiming hed lost work as a result of the piece, including a starring role in a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel for which he claims he would have earned $40 million. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. But many women have exploited #MeToo as a weapon designed to extract revenge, money or publicity. Wear the Gucci tie and the Gucci pin. This trials has drawn reactions from experts, celebrities, and more! The couples marital counselor testified that they engaged in mutual abuse, saying of Heard, It was a point of pride to her, if she felt disrespected, to initiate a fight.. ! that kind of bombast is typical in a fraught breakup. Johnny Depp, Amber Heard and the court of public opinion Elizabeth Renzetti Published April 27, 2022 Updated April 28, 2022 This article was published more than 6 months ago. Both Depp and Heard seem to have a loose relationship with the truth. The 58-year-old famously lost a defamation case in the U.K. against the British tabloid The Sun in 2020 after a judge found that the allegations of domestic abuse against him were "substantially true." "My goal is the truth because it killed me that all these people I had met over the years that these people would think that I . In a video shown in court, Johnny Depp is seen pacing in an elevator after a fight with Amber Heard on May 21, 2016. California entertainment lawyer Mitra Ahouraian added that the case isnt really about winning a defamation claim but about clearing Depps name in the public sphere, as hes said. Depp and Heard were married between 2015 and 2017. A makeup brand even took part in the anti-Heard melee, posting a TikTok video meant to contradict her lawyers description of how she covered up bruises. Trial watchers obsess over the tiniest details to claim that Heard is a drug user and therefore untrustworthy. Or, in Canada, the pressing issue of training judges to recognize intimate partner violence, which is the subject of a current private members bill in the House of Commons. The seven-member jury - made up of five men and two women - is simultaneously deciding on Johnny Depp's defamation suit and Amber Heard's countersuit. "One question I have right now, in our sort of post-#MeToo moment," Bedera commented, "we're trying to decide what the consequences should be for intimate partner violence. In fact, forensic and clinical psychologist Dr. Shannon Curry testified Tuesday on behalf of Depp's legal team that Heard has BPD and histrionic personality disorder (HPD). A month later, the Washington Post published an opinion essay by Heard, in which she described herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse who had felt the full force of our cultures wrath for women who speak out. Though she did not mention Depp by name, it was clear she was referring to him. The current chapter of their domestic warfare is taking place in a Fairfax County, Va., courtroom, where Depps defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Heard is unfolding before a jury of seven. Depp would grab her by the hair, backhand her and slap her in cycles of abuse. Mr. Depp is suing his ex-wife for allegedly defaming him via an article she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018 under the headline I spoke up about sexual violence and faced our cultures wrath. She will hit the wall hard!! People online love to hate her. Johnny Depp is coming out on top in the court of public opinion and that could be even more important than whether he wins his bombshell defamation case against Amber Heard, experts say. Depp's reputation in Hollywood has already taken a hit. LIMBONG: Yeah. Certainly winning the lawsuit helps because it would establish that something untrue was said about him and thats a big deal.. It may not make much difference, though. 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