Amber Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoff, has stated that she wants to appeal a Virginia jury’s decision finding her liable for defaming Johnny Depp in her Washington Post op-ed claiming domestic abuse. She has only a few days left to state an appeal and has to fund the entire damages if she does appeal. Bredehoff blamed the loss on various factors including evidentiary decisions and the influence of social media.
In the UK case, Bredehoff cited a different outcome in the UK where a court ruled against death after he sought a judgment against the Sun for calling him a wife beater. Herd’s team was allowed to inform the jury about the UK judgment, resulting in skewed damages and no injuries. When asked if Hurd could afford the nearly 10.4 million damages, Bredehoff replied that she could not. The jury also awarded her 2 million in damages for one of Depp’s attorney’s claims that she and her friends staged one of the couple’s arguments at their downtown Los Angeles penthouse and that the actress’s allegations were a hoax.
Heard’s team took away a significant amount of evidence from the UK case, including medical records that showed a pattern Amber reported to her therapist back in 2012. Bredehoff speculated that jurors who were instructed not to look at media coverage of the trial were likely aware of what was happening on social media, where sentiment was overwhelmingly in favor of death every night. Bredehoff also stated her opposition to cameras in the courtroom, which she claimed made the trial a zoo.
Some users believe that the appeal is merely a public relations and negotiating ploy, and even if she does win the appeal, the cost of another trial for both parties isn’t worth it. Others questionable tactics and demand negotiations, and some users believe Amber will continue to appeal until she dies.
Another user asked how Amber can file an appeal to an intermediate appellate court and if she loses there, she can appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court. This is not an automatic appeal, but it is up to the court to grant or deny. In theory, Amber can ask Scotus to review but there are no constitutional issues and Scotus will not do so. It may take years but Amber will be finished and will have no further options for a pellet review.
In the comments below, users express their opinions on Amber’s chances of appealing in the Virginia Supreme Court. They also share their thoughts on the case and the impact of social media on the case.