EXCLUSIVE: ‘Everything she was saying came off like bulls***’: Man claiming to be JUROR in Depp-Heard trial says moment Amber lied about donating divorce settlement sunk her case and that jury believed Johnny was physically abusive – but not the instigator
- A man claiming to be one of the five men and two women who made up the jury in the Heard-Depp trial has shared behind-the-scenes detail from the case
- The man – whose identity cannot be proven – said that the jurors felt Heard was unreliable, describing her as someone who ‘gaslit’ and manipulated others
- He said they were united in feeling that Depp was more credible, but they did believe he was guilty of physical abuse – although not the ‘instigator’
- He explained why they awarded Depp $15 million and Heard $2 million, saying it was due to ‘accountability’, and the initial sums they sought were unrealistic
- The man said that Heard’s credibility was scotched for him when it emerged that she had not paid the $3.5 million to the ACLU that she claimed to have done
A man claiming to be one of the seven jurors in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation trial has lifted the lid on their deliberations – saying they felt Heard was unreliable and a gaslighter and describing her as the ‘instigator’ of the marital violence.
The alleged juror began his TikTok video by saying he wanted to remain anonymous. The names of jurors have been sealed for a year following the trial but jury members are allowed to come forward voluntarily and share their own experiences.
He then proceeded to explain the jury deliberations, describing Heard as a poor witness and saying they found Depp far more credible.
‘What would you say was the moment that you were like NOPE.. if she’s lying about this she’s lying about everything?’ asked one TikTok user.
He replied: ‘I would say the donation/ pledge to charity.’
Heard had promised to donate half of her $7 million divorce settlement from Depp to the ACLU, but Terence Dougherty, ACLU chief operating officer and general counsel, testified that she had failed to do so.
When pressed about the lie, Heard claimed that she used the word ‘donated’ and ‘pledged’ synonymously – a comment that was met with incredulity from Depp’s lawyers and, according to the juror, the jury.
The anonymous TikTok user posted clips to social media claiming to be a member of the jury, the day after the verdict was reached
Amber Heard is seen on the witness stand on May 4, breaking down in tears as she testified about the first time Johnny Depp hit her. The juror said he did not find her credible
Depp is pictured on April 25, giving his side of the story. The jurors found his account more authentic
The blockbuster defamation trial between feuding exes Johnny Depp and Amber Heard captivated the nation after it kicked off in April
The TikTok user heaped praise on Depp’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez – saying she ‘did a great job’ – and was critical of Heard’s sister Whitney, who testified for Amber.
‘She seemed to be supporting her sister out of obligation and manipulation to me,’ the supposed juror said.
‘Didn’t seem like she wanted to be there.’
Asked if the jury ‘hated’ Heard, the juror replied: ‘Not hate, but most didn’t empathize.’
The jurors, in Fairfax, Virginia, spent six weeks listening to the evidence and then 12 hours weighing it up before reaching their verdict on Wednesday afternoon.
‘So today was my last day of being a juror on the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial,’ the juror begun, in his first TikTok clip.
‘And I wish to remain anonymous, but I thought I would give some insight about my thoughts about the trial.’
He said he was not especially informed about either the Texan actress, 36, or Depp, 58 before the trial began.
‘So Amber Heard was awarded two million dollars in this case for a couple of different reasons,’ the juror explained
‘I don’t follow pop culture too much so I haven’t really been a fan of Johnny Depp or Amber Heard, so I feel like I can be pretty unbiased about the whole thing,’ he said.
‘But from the very beginning, when Amber Heard was testifying, everything just seemed so off with how she kept making eye contact with me, and it made me extremely uncomfortable – to the extent where I would no longer look over at her, when she was giving her answers.
‘I would just listen intently, and everything she was saying came off like bulls***.’
He said that, after the trial ended, he scrolled through TikTok and ‘it blows my mind how every single person seemed to be commenting on how weird’ her eye contact was.
‘That was my gut feeling, after all the information in the trial,’ he said.
‘But, Amber Heard. What a crazy woman.’
One TikTok user commented: ‘It was killing me to know if the jury was uncomfortable with Ambers stare down.
‘I was uncomfortable just watching it on tv. I felt bad for you guys.’
He replied: ‘Couldn’t even look at her anymore.’
In a second video, he was asked how he felt about Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, ‘basically accusing all you jurors of not following the rules?’
The juror replied: ‘I’m trying to view this from a place of empathy and understanding.
‘I’m not sure if you guys noticed how much Amber Heard was gaslighting Johnny Depp.
‘She could never admit she was wrong.
The TikTok user answered questions posed by curious social media users on his page
The juror said they felt that Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez (pictured) did a ‘good job’
Depp’s lead attorneys Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew are seen outside of the courtroom after Depp’s victory
‘You can even tell with how she spoke to him in the recordings – she never admitted to him she did anything.
‘And she carried that on to the trial.
‘And I feel like we as humans naturally take our own personal truths to the grave when we can’t admit that we are wrong.
‘So I feel that that is what her team is doing now. Doing a smear campaign, to not admit that they were guilty. Because if they were just to cower down, and accept the verdict, in a way to the public eye it can be seen as an admission of guilt.
‘So I think this is just their way of trying to claw and tooth their way into trying to save dignity, in some form, for Amber Heard.’
One TikTok user asked if he was informed by personal experience.
‘Yes, she reminded me of my ex how she used to gaslight,’ he said.
‘I trusted my gut.’
He was then asked in detail how the other four men and two women came up with the compensation amount.
Depp was suing for $50 million in lost earnings following the publication of a 2018 Washington Post op-ed which he said damaged his career; Heard counter-sued for $100 million.
The jury awarded him $15 million – $10 million in compensatory damages, which is compensation for libel, and $5 million in punitive damages, which is the penalty for libel. Under Virginia’s statute, Depp’s punitive damages are limited to $350,000 — making the total he’ll be awarded just over $10 million.
Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.
‘So Amber Heard was awarded two million dollars in this case for a couple of different reasons,’ the juror explained.
‘If you remember, she was also suing Johnny Depp in this trial for defamation, due to the statements made by Johnny’s lawyers. Who were stating that Amber roughed up the apartment to make it look way worse for police.
‘Unfortunately the fact of her doing that, or not doing that, could not be proven.
‘But it could prove that it did defame her, in ways, due to those statements made by Johnny’s lawyers.’
Over six weeks at the court in Fairfax, Virginia, Depp called 38 witnesses while Heard called 24. Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 movie The Rum Diary, turning up on the red carpet together for its London premiere in 2011
He further explained why they wanted to issue awards to both, rather than just doing the calculations and making one award.
‘So you might be wondering, why not just award Johnny $13 million instead of $15 million, and giving Amber $2 million?’ he said.
‘Well, it just comes down to accountability, and holding both parties accountable for what was done wrong.’
Asked why they did not award Depp the full $50 million, he replied: ‘Unrealistic amount and not all the jurors agreed on amounts. Found a happy medium.’
He added: ‘Many jurors wanted to award the 50 million, sometimes in life we have to compromise.’
Another TikTok user asked: ‘Where the jurors all on Johnnys side or did you guys have to find a compromise?’
‘Found a compromise,’ he replied.
Asked whether anyone believed Heard, he replied: ‘Wouldn’t say believed her. But saw it as they thought both were guilty of defaming each other.’
He said that almost everyone felt Depp was more credible.
Asked if they all felt the same way, he replied: ‘Most everyone yes. It wasn’t completely unanimous at the beginning of deliberation. But all did agree she was more guilty than Johnny.’
‘The jury gave me my life back’ Johnny Depp’s full statement after defamation win
Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.
All in the blink of an eye.
False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.
And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.
My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought.
From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.
I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media.
I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth.
The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.
Veritas numquam perit.
Truth never perishes.
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