The Washington Post fixes Amber Heard's Op-Ed from 2018 post verdict

The Washington Post on Thursday updated the top of Amber Heard's op-ed with an editor's note. Heard in the op-ed spoke about surviving domestic abuse. On Wednesday, a jury ruled a judgement in favour of Johnny Depp, 58, saying that Heard, 36, had defamed her ex-husband thrice in the op-ed. The op-ed was published in December 2018. In the verdict, the court awarded $10.35 million to Depp in damages and $2 million in her defamation countersuit. 

On Thursday, Heard’s op-ed was altered with an editor’s note, which reflects on the journey of the case since it began. In response to Johnny Depp suing Heard for a 2018 defamatory article in June 2022 "following a trial in Fairfax County, Virginia Circuit Court, a jury found the actress accountable on three counts for the following statements, which Depp claimed were false and defamatory."

The statements are:- 

1) 'I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change.'

2) 'Then two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out.'

3) 'I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real-time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse.' 

"The jury separately found that Depp, through his lawyer Adam Waldman, defamed Heard in one of three counts in her countersuit," the post mentioned. The verdict alleged that Depp, through his lawyer, Adam Waldman, allegedly defamed Heard in one of three counts in her countersuit. 

Legal analyst Emily D. Baker says the case was well-followed by people globally, therefore, not taking the op-ed down and letting people know what happened is a good move. 

Also Read: Amber Heard plans to appeal ruling that she defamed Johnny Depp

Calling the verdict "shocking," Roy Gutterman, a professor at Syracuse University's Newhouse School, said it is difficult to evaluate the long-term effects of the defamation decision. The decision might prevent speakers and writers from addressing potential sensational issues, he added. He further said that the revelations made during the trials did not prove much but revealed the volatile relationship the two actors had. 

Depp had previously lost a libel suit in the United Kingdom in November 2020, when he sued British tabloid The Sun for referring to him as a "wife-beater." The actor again attempted to overturn the decision in March 2021, which was overruled, leading Depp to sue Heard directly later. 

During the trial, Heard revealed that the op-ed's first draft was produced by the American Civil Liberties Union and reviewed by three teams of lawyers before being finalised. The actress testified that the headline in the online version of the newspaper, which featured the term "sexual violence," was neither written nor approved by her. She also added that the online version differs from the one done for the print newspaper. "A transformative moment for women," was the print’s headline. 

While testifying in the trials, Heard said she was sexually assaulted by Depp. The allegation was denied by the latter.

This claim was then sealed by the UK court from public view at Heard’s request. She also said that she was proud of the op-ed and maintained that every word that was written was true. 

Responding to why she took part in the op-ed, Heard said: "I was looking forward to the opportunity to lend my voice to what I thought was a great cause, which is just a conversation around women's issues and gendered issues that I think the whole country was having at that time."

Also Read: Wait, what! Saudi man wishes to marry Amber Heard post defamation trial? Here's what we know

Following the verdict, Depp stated in a statement that he wanted the truth to come out with the lawsuit. He also added that six years ago, his life was ruined because of the op-ed that framed false allegations against him, labelling him a criminal. Heard’s accusations had a "seismic impact on my life and my career," Depp said, adding that "six years later, the jury gave me my life back."

Meanwhile, Heard said that the verdict was a "setback" for women. "I believe Johnny's attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the U.K. I'm sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American — to speak freely and openly," she stated after the trials ended.