Actress Amber Heard’s lawyer filed a motion Friday accusing one juror of possible improper service in order to overturn the verdict in her fiery defamation battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Attorney Elaine Bredehoft alleged that the “potential improper jury service” included Juror 15, who was allegedly listed with a 1945 birth year, but Bredehoft found a 1970 birth date among public information.
“This discrepancy raises the question whether Juror 15 actually received a summons for jury duty and was properly vetted by the Court to serve on the jury,” the motion read.
JOHNNY DEPP STARTS FILMING FIRST ROLE POST-DEFAMATION TRIAL IN FRANCE
Johnny Depp won three of his defamation claims against Heard, for which the jury and Virginia law allotted him $10.35 million, on the basis of a 2018 opinion editorial Heard wrote about the alleged abuse. Heard also won one of her claims, along with $2 million.
In this most recent filing, Bredehoft refers to Depp’s damages as “excessive,” claiming “Depp is not entitled to any damages for any conduct prior to the op-ed” or “for alternative causes.” Bredehoft also cited Virginia case law that set a precedent of setting aside excessive damages, but the case in question did not involve celebrities.
“While Mr. Depp asserted he lost Pirates 6 because of the Op-Ed, there is no evidence upon which the jury can rely to reach such a conclusion,” the motion reads. “Mr. Depp did not have a contract for Pirates 6, there was media coverage that Mr. Depp would not be in Pirates 6 as of October 25, 2018 — two months before the Op-Ed, Mr. Depp’s agent testified that it was very likely Mr. Depp would not be in Pirates 6 as of the Fall 2018, and Mr. Depp testified that he would not have agreed to play a role in Pirates 6 for ‘$300 million and a million alpacas.'”
Since the verdict, an inside source told Poptopic that there is a script in progress for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film that includes a Captain Jack Sparrow role. However, the actor has not yet agreed to play him.
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Heard’s lawyers have until July 24 to file and appeal, wherein Heard will also be required to have paid her suspension bond of $10.35 million, plus 6% interest annually.
