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Judge Denies Amber Heard’s Request for Mistrial in Johnny Depp Case

Amber Heard is not getting a new trial in her defamation case against Johnny Depp. The judge who oversaw the six-week spectacle denied the actress’s attempt to toss the verdict and $10.35 million judgment.

Lawyers for the Aquaman star, 36, were seeking a mistrial on multiple grounds. One argument they made was that there was an apparent case of mistaken identity with Juror 15 in that the wrong person from a household reported to court. In her order on Wednesday, the judge said that the juror filled out the jury questionnaire properly.

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“The parties also questioned the jury panel for a full day and informed the Court that the jury panel was acceptable,” Azcarate wrote. “Therefore, due process was guaranteed and provided to all parties in this litigation … there is no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing.”

The judge added, “Defendant does not allege Juror 15’s inclusion on the jury prejudiced her in any way. The juror was vetted, sat for the entire jury, deliberated, and reached a verdict. The only evidence before this Court is that this juror and all jurors followed their oaths, the Court’s instructions, and orders. This Court is bound by the competent decision of the jury.”

Heard has not spoken out about the latest legal blow.

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“The law in Virginia does not support Amber’s claim that she was denied due process because of the issue with Juror 15. Her team had the opportunity to question the juror or to raise this issue at that time with the judge. Heard’s team accepted this jury panel with the information that they had then and there is no new information that come out since. They had the list of jurors that identified the juror information and birthdate. This motion is a grasp, not a real possibility,” legal analyst Emily D. Baker explained.

Depp sued Heard for $50 million because she wrote an op-ed that said she was abused. The jury agreed that it was reasonable to think that the op-ed was about Depp. He said that the article killed his career, but the jury ruled that he had never abused her. Depp was awarded $15 million,

The actress has countersued Depp for $100 million over statements his lawyer made to the press. She won one out of the three cases and was awarded $2 million in damages. However, the actress did not settle with Depp and is likely to appeal.

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