In a significant legal decision, actor Johnny Depp faced a setback in his libel case against the British tabloid The Sun, which labeled him a “wife beater” in connection with his tumultuous relationship with ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp initiated the lawsuit in 2018, asserting he deserved considerable damages due to the harm to his reputation.
Presiding judge Andrew Nicol ruled that there was “overwhelming evidence” indicating that Depp had repeatedly assaulted Heard throughout their marriage. In his dismissal of the case, the judge noted that the tabloid’s claims were “substantially true,” including allegations of physical violence, such as hitting Heard and pulling her hair. Nicol stated, “I accept that Mr. Depp put her in fear of her life.”
Depp’s initial lawsuit targeted News Group Newspapers, the parent company of The Sun, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, who had written an article claiming Depp had exhibited violent behavior on at least 14 occasions. Both Depp and Heard testified over a three-week period in London’s High Court, recounting various instances of alleged abuse. Depp contended that Heard had often attacked him, asserting that he lost part of his finger when she threw a vodka bottle at him. Witnesses, including Depp’s former partner Vanessa Paradis and actress Winona Ryder, provided statements asserting that he had never been violent towards them.
According to The New York Times, women’s rights advocates expressed satisfaction with Nicol’s ruling. Lisa King, a representative for Refuge, a charity supporting domestic violence survivors, remarked, “This is an important ruling and one which we hope sends a very powerful message: Every single survivor of domestic abuse should be listened to and should be heard.”
In his judgment, Nicol stated, “I have found that the great majority of alleged assaults of Ms. Heard by Mr. Depp have been proved to the civil standard.” Depp’s legal representative, Jenny Afia, criticized the judgment as deeply flawed, suggesting it would be irrational for Depp not to appeal the ruling, which she found “perverse” and “bewildering.”
In a separate legal battle, Depp is also pursuing a defamation case against Heard in the U.S., stemming from an opinion piece she wrote for The Washington Post titled “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.” Depp claims that the article resulted in him being dropped from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Heard’s attorney, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, stated that they would soon present additional evidence in the U.S. court, emphasizing their commitment to securing justice for Heard and upholding her right to free speech. Heard has alleged that Depp frequently threatened her life and subjected her to various forms of physical abuse.