Amber Heard’s attorney Elaine Bredehoft believes that the jury’s decision in her and Johnny Depp’s defamation trial was influenced by “lopsided” social media.
On Wednesday, the court found Amber, 36, guilty of defaming her ex-husband, actor Johnny Depp, 58, after she claimed he abused her during their relationship.
Johnny was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
Speaking to NBC’s TODAY show on Thursday, Ms. Bredehoft said that the jury wasn’t prevented from being around social media.
Amber Heard’s lawyer: ‘No way social media didn’t influence jury’
“How can you not? They went home every night. They have families. The families are on social media. We had a 10-day break in the middle because of the judicial conference. There’s no way they couldn’t have been influenced by it, and it was horrible. It really, really was lopsided.”
She added: “It’s like the Roman Colosseum, you know? How they viewed this whole case. I was against cameras in the courtroom and I went on record with that and argued against it because of the sensitive nature of this. But it made it a zoo.”
Ms. Bredehoft also spoke about Amber’s first words after the verdict was announced.
“One of the first things she said is, ‘I am so sorry to all those women out there. This is a setback for all women in and outside the courtroom,'” Bredehoft said. “She feels the burden of that.
“Unless you pull out your phone and you video your spouse or your significant other beating you, effectively, you won’t be believed.”
Johnny sued Amber for $50 million over an op-ed piece she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018. In the write-up, the actress said she was a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”
Although Amber didn’t come out as the winner of the trial, she did get awarded $2 million in compensatory damages after she countersued her ex-husband for defamation over statements his attorney made about her abuse claims.
Bredehoft also stated that they hope to appeal the jury’s decision.
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp both released statements after the verdict was announced
The former couple have both released statements on their social media accounts.
In Johnny’s statement, he said: “False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me.
“It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.
“And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”
After the verdict, Amber wrote: “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.
“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”