Amber Heard asks judge to toss Depp verdict, citing alleged fake juror
Amber Heard is asking a judge to toss the verdict in the Johnny Depp defamation trial, citing several factors including the possibility that one of the jurors wasn't properly vetted.
In new legal documents, the Aquaman star's legal team asks a judge to throw out the verdict after she was found to have defamed her ex-husband in an article about domestic abuse. Heard now alleges "potential improper juror service," claiming a juror who was listed as being born in 1945 may have actually been born in 1970, the Associated Press reports.
"This discrepancy raises the question whether Juror 15 actually received a summons for jury duty and was properly vetted by the court to serve on the jury," Heard's attorneys say.
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Depp sued Heard over an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post about becoming a "public figure representing domestic abuse," which never mentioned his name. During a high-profile trial, both accused one another of abuse during their marriage, but Depp denied ever hitting Heard. The jury found Heard defamed Depp with the article, and Depp was awarded $10 million in damages, which Heard's team says she's unable to pay.
Heard's lawyers are also arguing Depp didn't prove that her op-ed harmed his career or that she acted with actual malice when she wrote it, TMZ reports. They're asking for the judge to throw out the verdict or order a new trial, though this move is separate from the actress' planned appeal.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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