The attorneys for the Aquaman actress also contend that inquiries should be made into ‘improper juror service’ over the course of the trial.
In her multi-million dollar defamation case with her ex-husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard has asked a US judge to reverse the judgment and order a new trial.
The 36-year-old claimed that the evidence produced during the tumultuous six-week trial did not support the judgment from the trial returned on June 1 in favor of the Pirates of the Caribbean star.
The attorneys for Ms. Heard also contend that inquiries should be made into “improper jury service” in documents obtained by the PA news agency.
In 2018, Mr. Depp filed a lawsuit against his former partner over an essay she wrote for the Washington Post about her experiences as a victim of domestic violence, which, according to his attorneys, erroneously accused him of being the abuser.
The documents stated: “The verdict is excessive as a matter of law in light of the evidence and law, and should be set aside. For all the reasons set forth above, and for the reasons set forth on the record during the hearings and at trial, in the Motions in Limine and Motions to Strike, Ms. Heard respectfully requests this Court to set aside the jury verdict in favor of Mr. Depp and against Ms. Heard in its entirety, dismiss the complaint, or in the alternative, order a new trial.”
“Ms. Heard further requests this Court to investigate potential improper juror service and take appropriate action warranted by the results of the investigation,” it added.
As per Independent, the attorneys for the Texas-born actress contend that one of the trial’s jurors was not thoroughly screened by the court and that their testimony was “inconsistent.”
“The information on the jury panel list appears to be inconsistent with the identity and demographics of one of the Jurors,” the document, signed by Ms. Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft, states.
“Juror No 15 was apparently born in 1970, not 1945, as reported to and relied upon by the parties – including Ms. Heard – in selecting a jury panel.”
The lawsuit also stated that the $15 million in damages that Mr. Depp received as a result of the verdict were “excessive and indefensible.”
Judge Penney Azcarate then decreased the amount to $350,000 in accordance with a state cap.
As a result of “so much” evidence that was excluded from the trial, Heard’s attorney earlier stated that the actress would appeal the judgment in the lawsuit and claimed that she had “excellent grounds” to do so.
After the lawsuit’s success, Mr. Depp said he felt “at peace” and was “truly humbled,” adding that his choice to pursue the matter “was only made after considerable thought” and that his purpose was to “reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome.”