Johnny Depp secured a stunning legal victory in a defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard on Wednesday.
Heard had implied Depp committed domestic violence and physical abuse during their two-year marriage in a 2018 Washington Post article.
A jury decided that Heard’s claims constituted defamation at the end of a dramatic civil trial that saw dueling claims of abuse from both actors.
Now, the establishment media outlet that carried the allegations is slapping a note on the original piece.
A hefty editor’s note appeared on Heard’s 2018 article, “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change,” on Thursday.
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An ‘editor’s note’ on the defamation verdict has appeared on Amber Heard’s 2018 Washington Post article accusing Johnny Depp of abuse. pic.twitter.com/ThGJx4XSSq
— Richard (@Wildman_AZ) June 2, 2022
Heard wrote the piece as an ambassador on women’s rights at the American Civil Liberties Union.
The editor’s note merely explained that a jury had found Heard liable for three counts of defamation, stemming from the article.
Should the Washington Post be charged with defamation?
Heard won a single count in her own countersuit against Depp.
Depp was awarded a total of $15 million in damages while Heard was awarded $2 million.
To date, the Washington Post has not been the target of any legal action from Depp, even though it published the defamatory allegations. One of the world’s wealthiest men, Amazon oligarch Jeff Bezos, owns the outlet.
It’s possible the hefty judgment will spur Heard to declare bankruptcy.
A judgment against the Washington Post would stand a greater chance of being collected, although suing the media outlet would entail a different legal standard.
Depp had previously sued a British media outlet, The Sun, in a case he failed to win.
In a statement after his legal victory, Depp thanked his supporters, pointing to his case as a beacon for both men and women who had been falsely accused of domestic violence.
Heard slammed the court ruling, suggesting she had been deprived of her own First Amendment rights.
Both actors have claimed the domestic abuse dispute has damaged their careers, arguing they’ve missed out on film roles due to negative publicity.
