[ad_1]
(UPDATE with statement from Depp’s lawyer) Johnny Depp can complain that Hollywood is boycotting him, but a Virginia judge just handed the Minamata won a big win in her $ 50 million libel lawsuit against Amber Heard.
Already pursuing a counterclaim for $ 100 million, the Aquaman The star attempted a Hail Mary move in April for Fairfax County Chief Justice Penney Azcarate to dismiss the two-year-old case on the basis that her ex-husband lost a libel lawsuit in United Kingdom at the end of last year against Rupert Murdoch. The sun the tabloid’s designation of the Oscar nominee as “wife thresher”.
No more Deadline
Depp subsequently lost while trying to overturn that British verdict on appeal. Now, in what was the third unsuccessful attempt to bend the Old Dominion case, it was Heard that was very short today.
“The Court is not convinced by the defendant’s argument that the plaintiff had a full and fair opportunity to plead the UK action,” Judge Azcarate wrote in a dense notice published today (read it here ). “The defendant did not participate in the British action and was not treated as such,” she continues, although it is worth mentioning that Heard and Depp took a stand in London on their respective views on the various allegations of his abusive behavior.
“Because she was not named defendant, she was not subject to the same rules of discovery applicable to the named parties”, determined the judge. “In fact, the defendant could not have been a named defendant in the IK litigation because her allegedly defamatory statements were made after the commencement of the UK action,” Judge Azcarte said, citing the statement. of December 2018. Washington post Heard editorial that launched Depp in this lawsuit soon after.
Next, noting that the comparisons between free speech in the UK and free speech in the US are “untenable” in this case, Judge Azcarate twists the point a little more.
“The defendant maintains that she was in contact with The sun because they both had the same interest in the case, ”she said. The suninterest such as The sun’Representation of his interest is also a representation of the legal right of the defendant, ”Judge Azcarate also proclaimed in her sometimes biting opinion, at one point calling Heard’s claims“ puzzling ”.
“The sunThe interests of s were based on whether the statements published by the newspaper were false, ”adds the 10-page opinion letter. “The interests of the defendant relate to whether the statements which it published were false.”
“Sir. Depp is very pleased with the court ruling,” attorney for actor Ben Chew of Brown Rudnick’s DC office told Deadline Tonight with brevity and understatement.
Hit and miss in his legal adventures over the past few years, it was the second victory that set the ax Fantastic beasts star Depp has had against Heard in almost as many weeks. Earlier this month, a New York judge ruled that Depp could make a decision if his Rum Journal the co-star really donated part of their $ 7 million divorce settlement to the ACLU, as she has widely claimed.
After being delayed numerous times due to the pandemic and more, the Virginia case is set to go to trial in April 2022.
Alleging that Heard’s WaPo play cost actor Jack Sparrow a role in Disney’s Pirates reboot, the initial lawsuit also revealed that it was actually Depp who was the real victim of the couple’s short-lived marriage.
Although the editorial never mentioned Depp by name, the couple’s downward spiral of the relationship ended in public view in 2016, with the actor paying his ex-wife a large sum that she possibly donated to charity. “Ms. Heard is not a victim of domestic violence, she is an abuser,” Depp said in her Spring 2019 lawsuit. Since the filing, Depp and his team have consistently said Heard lied about everything. abuse on the part of the actor, as a constant stream of media leaks and footage sought to establish.
Before filing her counter-suit, Heard had not only repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to have the case dismissed, but at one point had wanted her transferred to another jurisdiction – which did not. not worked so well. Depp, on the other hand, sought to undermine the British affair and Heard’s credibility by claiming that her ex had not donated the full $ 7 million she received during their break-up to the Children Hospital Foundation of LA and the American Civil Liberties Union, a claim that is true to some extent, according to Heard’s top attorney, represented by WME
“Amber has previously been responsible for seven figures in giving to charitable causes and intends to continue to contribute and possibly fulfill her commitment,” Elaine Bredehoft, located in Reston, Va., Told Deadline on Jan. 7. of this year. “However, Amber was delayed in this goal because Mr. Depp filed a lawsuit against her, and as a result, she was forced to spend millions of dollars to defend Mr. Depp’s false accusations against her,” he said. added the lawyer, dodging the speed of the timeline. working and focusing on media stories that stigmatize her client.
The bitter case has seen not only the ACLU drag itself out, but Disney, the LAPD and Elon Musk as well with numerous subpoenas from both sides. Judge’s opinion today means it’s likely that more big names will be added to this before the end
Best of Deadline
Sign up for the Deadline newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
[ad_2]
Source link