Johnny Depp's Lawyer Camille Vasquez Speaks Out After Defamation Case Verdict

KEY POINTS

Johnny Depp won his defamation case against Amber Heard on Wednesday
Vasquez thanked the jury, the judge and the court staff
Attorney Benjamin Chew said he's grateful that Depp's case was finally heard

Johnny Depp's lawyer, Camille Vasquez, has spoken out after the jury delivered its verdict in the actor's defamation case against Amber Heard. After six weeks of court trial and days of deliberations, the jury ruled Heard was liable for defaming Depp.

After the verdict was read Wednesday, Vasquez reacted to the decision outside the courtroom and expressed her gratitude to the jury.

"Today's verdict confirms what we have said from the beginning, that the claims against Johnny Depp are defamatory and unsupported by any evidence," she said. "We are grateful, so grateful to the jury for their careful deliberation, to the judge and the court staff who have devoted an enormous amount of time and resources toward this case."

Benjamin Chew, Depp's other attorney, also reacted to the verdict and said he's grateful that Depp's case was finally heard.

"Our judicial system is predicated on each person's right to have his or her case heard and we were honored, truly honored, to assist Mr. Depp in ensuring that his case was fairly considered throughout the trial," he said. "We are also most pleased that the trial has resonated with so many people in the public who value truth and justice. Now that the jury has reached its conclusive verdict, it's time to turn the page and look to the future."

A seven-person jury awarded the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages Wednesday. The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages after deciding that Depp, through his lawyer Adam Waldman, defamed the actress on one of three counts in her countersuit.

The jury reached a unanimous decision on the third day of deliberations, bringing the six-week trial, which started on April 11, to an end. The defamation case centered on an op-ed that Heard wrote for the Washington Post in 2018, in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse." While the article did not name Depp, the actor's legal team alleged it was part of an "elaborate hoax" and accused Heard of "concocting the story in hopes of generating positive publicity and to advance her career."