Amber Heard’s lawyer says actress can ‘absolutely not pay’ USD 10 million penalty to Johnny Depp

Amber Heard’s lawyer claimed on Thursday that she will be unable to pay more than USD 10 million in damages to her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, after a Virginia jury decided in favor of the Pirates of the Caribbean actor in his defamation case against Heard on Wednesday. 

As per PEOPLE, Elaine Bredehoft appeared on the Today program with Savannah Guthrie on Thursday, and when asked whether her client will be able to pay the sum, she answered, “Oh, no, absolutely not.” The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 58, won all three defamation lawsuits he brought against his ex-wife over her 2018 op-ed on coming out with domestic violence charges earlier this week. The jury awarded Depp USD 15 million in damages, but owing to a Virginia rule that caps punitive damages at USD 10.35 million, the Aquaman 2 actress, 36, will only have to pay USD 10.35 million.

Meanwhile, Depp was judged to have defamed his ex-wife on one of her three countersuit grounds. She was awarded USD 2 million in compensation. Bredehoft also discussed how she feels her client was “demonized” throughout the trial and how internet favor was “absolutely” in Depp’s favor during her interview on Today. She believes it had an impact on the case’s result. Despite jurors being instructed not to use social media during courtroom breaks, Bredehoft stated Thursday, “How can you not? They went home every night, they have families, the families are on social media.”

However, Heard earlier said publicly that she will donate her whole divorce settlement of USD 7 million to charity, half to the American Civil Liberties Union and half to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Those commitments, which were supposed to be paid in yearly installments, have yet to be fulfilled by the actress. Heard said on the stand that she still plans to complete the donations.

ALSO READ:Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Trial Timeline: 10 key events from the case that led up to its final verdict