Jurors Reach Verdict In Johnny Depp-Amber Heard Trial

deadline.com:

Jurors reached a verdict on Wednesday in Johnny Depp’s $50 million defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard.The verdict will be announced at noon PT.

Judge Penney Azcarate is giving lawyers time to get to the courthouse. Johnny Depp will not be there for the announcement.The six-week trial has drawn huge audiences and sparked endless social media debates as Depp has sought to restore his reputation.

He sued Heard after she published a Washington Post ed identifying herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Heard countersued for $100 million after one of Depp’s attorneys claimed that her allegations of abuse were fabricated.The jury started its deliberations on Friday, and were given intricate instructions that have them weighing whether any of three statements in the Heard op ed rise to the level of defamation.

In Heard’s countersuit, the jury also will weigh whether any of three statements also amount to defamation. If they hand victory to either side, the jurors also will determine any damages.Outside the courthouse, groups of spectators have gathered during the trial, hoping to catch a glimpse of Depp, but the crowds were thinner on Wednesday.