Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard: a troubling verdict?
The news that Depp had won his defamation case against Heard unleashed an ‘orgy of misogyny’
When the news was announced that Johnny Depp had won his defamation case against Amber Heard, I “instinctively let out a little whoop”, said Sarah Vine in the Daily Mail. As the six-week long trial in Virginia reminded us, Depp is no saint. “But it’s one thing to be a troubled individual with multiple substance and behavioural issues and quite another to be an abuser.” When in 2018 Heard, recently divorced from Depp, wrote an article in The Washington Post claiming to represent “domestic abuse”, the #MeToo movement was at its height. It had exposed some shocking behaviour, but it also tended to see “men as predators, women as victims”. And as a result of her allegations, Depp was “cancelled”: he lost film roles, and was branded a “wife beater”. But then he fought back, and his lawyers exposed Heard’s “tenuous” relationship with the truth. “The jury gave me my life back,” Depp declared.
Actually, this verdict was a “travesty”, said Michelle Goldberg in The New York Times. The jury decided that Heard had defamed Depp with “malice”, and awarded him $10m. But it also found that Depp’s lawyers had defamed Heard (awarding her $2m) when they accused her of staging a “hoax” scene of abuse to which police were called at the couple’s home. If the police call wasn’t a hoax, then presumably she had in fact suffered abuse at Depp’s hands. And the jury heard plenty of evidence suggesting that he was abusive towards her: texts, for instance, in which he joked about killing her and having sex with her burnt corpse. The verdict doesn’t make much sense and its repercussions are horrifying. All victims of abuse must now face the possibility that “they could end up being bankrupted by their abusers”. Depp’s friend Marilyn Manson is already suing the actress Evan Rachel Wood for alleging sadistic abuse at his hands.
The verdict was the opposite to that reached by an English judge in 2020, said Catherine Bennett in The Observer. Why? Partly because juries are more likely than judges to be swayed by classic “Darvo” defence tactics (“deny, attack and reverse victim and offender”). And partly because the case was televised, unusually for one concerning domestic abuse, and became a media circus. It unleashed an “orgy of misogyny”, said Moira Donegan in The Guardian. Heard has been vilified across the world as a lying gold-digger. After she testified that Depp had sexually assaulted her, people took to social media in their millions to mock her. Screenshots of her weeping face became memes. It all proves the point that Heard made in her original article: that women who allege abuse are “pilloried” for coming forward.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why is Bluey such a cultural phenomenon?
In the Spotlight Kids are obsessed — but parents get just as much out of the show, if not more
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Is it actually economical to fly basic economy?
The Explainer Airlines have placed so many restrictions on basic economy, you may wonder if it's even worth the savings anymore
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
So bad, so good: the best worst movies
The Week Recommends These films are as enjoyable as they are terrible
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Baffin Island: looking for narwhal in Arctic Canada
The Week Recommends An exploration of this island between mainland Canada and Greenland is ideal for the adventurous at heart
By The Week UK Published
-
Knife: Salman Rushdie's 'mesmeric memoir' of brutal attack
The Week Recommends The author's account of ordeal which cost him his eye is both 'scary and heartwarming'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Pundits are mixed on the real possibility of Alex Garland's 'Civil War'
Talking Point Some say the film's events aren't that far from reality, but others are less convinced
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes for car lovers
Feature Featuring a 14-car showroom in Oregon and a Bentley-style apartment in Florida
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 serene homes in Vermont
Features Featuring a four-level Shaker barn in Hartland and a Scandinavian-inspired home in Stowe
By The Week US Published
-
Amanda Montell's 6 favorite books that will expand your knowledge
Feature The linguist recommends works by Mary Roach, Alice Carrière, and more
By The Week US Published
-
'Are We Dating the Same Guy?': do Facebook groups harm or help?
Talking Point Women share their relationship experiences to try to stay safe on dating apps but critics highlight legal and emotional issues
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published