By Blessing Udeobasi
Popular Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has reacted to the constant bid by his ex wife, Amber Heard to set aside the jury’s verdict in the defamation suit which awarded him $10.35million.
Depp who described Heard’s bid for retrial as ‘desperate and outlandish added that it should not be allowed.
His legal team have also asked a Virginia judge to leave his $10million defamation judgment intact after attorneys for his ex-wife called the jury’s verdict ‘nonsensical and unfounded’ asking them to set it aside on multiple grounds, including an apparent case of mistaken identity with one of the jurors.
One of the claims is based on the fact that a 77-year-old man was summoned for jury duty – but a 52-year-old man, who shares the same last name and address, was improperly seated for the six-week trial.
According to Depp’s lawyers, Heard’s team’s complaints about the juror’s identity are irrelevant and would have caused no prejudice to the actress.
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“Ms. Heard’s desperate, after-the-fact demand for an investigation of Juror 15 based on a purported error in his birth date is…misplaced… Moreover, Ms. Heard’s argument is based on pure speculation.” Depp’s attorney said.
“Following a six-week jury trial, a jury of Ms. Heard’s peers rendered a verdict against her in virtually all respects. Though understandably displeased with the outcome of trial, Ms Heard has identified no legitimate basis to set aside in any respect the jury’s decision.
“Virginia law is clear that a verdict is not to be set aside unless it is “plainly wrong or without evidence to support it.” Va. Code § 8.01-680.
“Here, the verdict was well supported by the overwhelming evidence, consistent with the law, and should not be set aside. Mr. Depp respectfully submits that the Court should deny Ms. Heard’s Post-Trial Motions, which verge into the frivolous.”
“For all the reasons set forth above, Mr. Depp respectfully requests that this Court deny Ms. heard’s frivolous Motion in its entirety and reject her outlandish requests to set aside the jury verdict, dismiss the Complaint, or, in the alternative, order a new trial, and investigate Juror 15.” Depp’s lawyers argued.
They concluded that if Heard’s team had concerns, they should have spoken up at the time because it was apparent that the man who served was not 77 years old, even though court paperwork described him as such.
