Where Was Johnny Depp When the Verdict of His Defamation Case in Virginia Court Was Read?

When the jury reached a verdict in Johnny Depp's defamation case against Amber Heard, he was not present in the courtroom but watched the highly publicized trial from the United Kingdom. However, as the jury read the verdict, Amber Heard was in the courtroom.

The couple met on the set of "The Rum Diary" in 2009. Amber Heard revealed that it wasn't until around the end of 2011 that they started dating. In 2014, they got engaged and married in a private ceremony in 2015.

One year later, Amber Heard filed for divorce and accused Johnny Depp of physical abuse. They finalized their divorce in 2017 with a non-disparagement clause that prevented either of them from saying anything negative about their high-profile relationship and break-up.

In December 2018, Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post saying she was abused but did not name her abuser while speaking about the treatment of women in domestic abuse cases.

Depp sued Heard for defamation over the piece she wrote because he claimed that it cost him lucrative acting roles. Subsequently, Heard countersued Depp for defamation based on statements made by his attorney concerning her abuse allegations.

After the six-week trial, the jury has found both Heard and Depp liable for defamation in their lawsuits against each other and awarded significantly more damages to Depp, a legal win for the actor.

The jury found that Heard defamed Depp in three separate statements in the piece she wrote and that Depp defamed Heard with one statement made via his attorney.

Depp was given $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive penalties by the jury. Heard was given $2 million in compensatory damages but no punitive damages.

WHY WAS JOHNNY DEPP MISSING FROM COURT?

A source close to the actor told E! News that Depp had work commitments he made before the trial and would not be physically present when the jury read the verdict on June 1, 2022, in Virginia.

The source further added that the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor would watch from the U.K. as he had performances in England during that period.

On the other hand, Heard was present for the verdict reading. A spokesperson for the "Aquaman" actress told E! News that while Depp was playing guitar and "taking his snickering and lack of seriousness on tour," Heard showed where her priorities were.

WHY WAS JOHNNY DEPP IN ENGLAND?

While waiting for the verdict of his defamation trial against his ex-wife Heard, Depp took the stage at Jeff Beck's concert in Sheffield on May 29, 2022, where his fans greeted him with a standing ovation.

The duo performed their 2020 collaboration "Isolation," a remake of the 1970 John Lennon track. Depp and Beck played the guitar for a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On."

A source close to Depp, the founder of the rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires, informed E! News that the "Edward Scissorhands" actor was in town due to "previously scheduled work obligations."