Johnny Depp Celebrates Defamation Win: ‘Jury Gave Me My Life Back’

Actor Johnny Depp released a powerful statement after a jury ruled in his favor against his ex-wife Amber Heard in the defamation case that captivated the country.

Released to his Instagram account, Depp said unfounded allegations of domestic abuse have destroyed his reputation and career as he thanked the jury for giving him his life back.

His full statement:

Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people, who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.

All in the blink of an eye.

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.

My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing in the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought.

From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.

I am and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who I found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media.

I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the judge, the jurors, the court staff and the sheriffs of sacrifice their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth.

The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.

Veritas numquam perit.
Truth never perishes.

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Depp sued Heard for having defamed him in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. Though Heard did not name Depp, the context was enough to malign her ex-husband as an abuser.

“The jury found for Depp on all three of his defamation claims regarding the op-ed, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Notably, the jury found that a statement accusing Depp of sexual violence and domestic abuse was defamatory,” Breitbart News noted. “The jury found for Heard on only one of her two claims, awarding her $2 million in compensatory damages but no punitive damages, sending a message that they found her more at fault.”