A judge has denied Amber Heard’s request for a new trial on the basis of “improper juror service” in her high-profile defamation case.
Last month, Heard’s ex-husband Johnny Depp won a defamation lawsuit against the Aquaman star, over a 2018 article she wrote for the Washington Post.
Although the article did not mention Depp by name, his lawyers alleged that it falsely implied he had physically and sexually abused her during their relationship.
Shortly after the verdict was announced, Heard’s legal team said that they intended to appeal the jury’s decision, which they claimed she has “excellent grounds” for.
Following this, documents were filed by her team last week, which claimed: “Juror No 15 was not the individual summoned for jury duty on April 11, 2022, and therefore was not part of the jury panel and could not have properly served on the jury at this trial.
“As the Court no doubt agrees, it is deeply troubling for an individual not summoned for jury duty nonetheless to appear for jury duty and serve on a jury, especially in a case such as this.”
However, her request has now been denied.
Penney Azcarate, who presided over the case, ruled on Wednesday: “The juror was vetted, sat for the entire jury, deliberated, and reached a verdict.
“The only evidence before this court is that this juror and all jurors followed their oaths, the court’s instructions, and orders.
“This court is bound by the competent decision of the jury.”
Heard’s legal team previously filed claims that the jury’s verdict in favour of Depp was not supported by the evidence presented during the six-week trial.
It is understood that Heard still has the ability to appeal against the verdict in the Virginia Court of Appeals and that the issues presented to the appellate court could well be different from those rejected on Wednesday.