When will the jury reach a verdict in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial?

The trial officially ended on Friday, May 27, after attorneys for both sides delivered their closing statements, after which the jury was asked to retire, deliberate and reach a verdict on whether or not Heard defamed dork centered on the case in her 2018 Washington Post article.

Closing statements in the multimillion-dollar defamation lawsuit ended with both sides asking the jury to consider others victims of domestic violence.

That Aquaman actressThe legal team highlighted the message a verdict found in Depp’s favor would send to others, while Depp’s team said her claims were “an act of profound cruelty to true survivors.”

In his closing remarks, Benjamin Rottenborn, representing Heard, said that a ruling in Depp’s favor would show abuse victims that they “must always do more.”

“The facts are absolutely staggering, abuse,” he told the jury.

“Mr Depp just can’t prove to you that he never abused Amber and if you don’t know then you have to pass judgment on Ms Heard.

“A verdict against Amber here sends the message that no matter what you do as an abuse victim, you always have to do more.

“No matter what you document, you always have to document more, no matter who you tell, you always have to tell more people.

“No matter how honest you are about your own imperfections and flaws in a relationship, you have to be perfect for people to believe you.

“Don’t send that message — that’s what [Depp] wants you to do it.”

Rottenborn added that the Nightmare on Elm Street The actor “ran headlong into the First Amendment” of the US Constitution and urged the judges to “stand up for freedom of speech.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to tell Mr Depp that this was the ‘last chance,'” he said.

“Tell him to get on with his life. Tell him to let Amber move on for hers.

He added: “This trial is about so much more than Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. It’s about freedom of speech. Stand up for it, protect it and deny Mr Depp’s allegations against Amber.”

In her closing remarks, Depp’s attorney said, Camille VasquezHe said the “mountain” of evidence that Depp assaulted his former partner is “just not there”.

Vasquez began by reminding the jury that on May 27, 2016, Heard filed a restraining order against her former partner.

“By doing so, he ruined his life by falsely telling the world that she was a survivor of domestic violence at the hands of Mr. Depp,” she said.

“On May 27, 2022, exactly six years later, we ask you to give Mr. Depp his life back. What is at stake in this process is a man’s life.”

“There’s an abuser in this courtroom, but it’s not Mr. Depp. There is a victim of domestic violence in this courtroom, but it is not Ms. Heard.”

She added: “It is disturbing to think that Ms Heard would make up the horrific abuse stories she testified in this courtroom.

“What Ms Heard testified in this courtroom is a story told by far too many women, but the overwhelming evidence and the weight of that evidence is that it is not her story.

“It’s not Ms Heard’s story.

“It was an act of profound cruelty, not only to Mr Depp, but to true survivors of domestic violence, that Ms Heard came out as a public figure representing domestic violence.

“It was wrong, it was defamatory and it caused irreparable harm.”

There is no set date by which the judges must make a decision – however we know for sure that it won’t be until Tuesday 31st May.

The jury has been sent home for the weekend and due to Memorial Day on Monday May 30th, they will not resume their deliberations until Tuesday May 31st.

Judge Azcarate reminded jurors of their obligation to consider all evidence before reaching their conclusions and prohibited them from using outside sources for research purposes.

Due to the high profile of the case, Judge Azcarate has ordered the jury’s names sealed for a year.

The purpose of the case is to determine whether or not Heard defamed Depp in her 2018 Washington Post article.

If the jury finds she did, Heard will be ordered to pay Depp damages – he’s asking for $50million (£40million) in compensation, but the jury could recommend he pay more or less than that stated amount is awarded.

If the jury decides in Depp’s favour, Heard faces no jail time because this is a civil trial, not a criminal one.

If the jury decides in Heards’ favor instead, she won’t have to pay Depp any money.

Instead, Depp could potentially be ordered to pay his ex-wife $100 million, which she has been demanding in a countersuit she initiated, alleging that Depp led a campaign to discredit her, calling her allegations “false.” and to label “joke” and harm her career and reputation.

Again, the jury can decide to increase or decrease this number at its own discretion.