Fri. Mar 29th, 2024


Amber Heard, Johnny Depp, new trial, juror

The drama continues to swirl around the outcome of the Johnny Depp defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. The actress is now calling for a new trial because of a juror error which seems to stem from the fact that one of the jurors, who was allegedly heavy against Amber Heard, wasn’t the right juror summoned for jury duty in her case.

According to a redacted filing on Friday from Heard’s legal team, “Ms. Heard had a right to rely on the basic protection, as prescribed by the Virginia Code, that the jurors in this trial would be individuals who were actually summoned for jury duty. In this case, it appears that Juror No. 15 was not, in fact, the same individual as listed on the jury panel. Ms. Heard’s due process was therefore compromised. Under these circumstances, a mistrial should be declared, and a new trial ordered.” You can read the full filing HERE.

There was a similar motion placed in the Fairfax County courthouse last month to get a new trial over a juror whose birth year that was given was different than what was shown in public records. This one is a bit different because this memo has a lot more detail that COULD possibly lead to a new trial. According to the redacted filing, the summons for jury duty was sent out to a Virginia resident in April for the much-delayed $15 million defamation action Depp, However, also according to the filing, it seems that there are two individuals residing at the same address with, at the very least, “the same last name” — one a 77-year-old and another a 52-year-old. The former was the one summoned, but it looks like the latter was the one who showed up. “Thus, the 52-year-old [redacted] sitting on the jury for six weeks was never summoned for jury duty on April 11 and did not ‘appear in the list,’ as required.”

The younger juror made it all the way to the jury without ever being asked to produce ID or, according to the filing, perhaps produced a fake ID, in order to sit on the jury. It also states that someone filled out the required online information form either intentionally or accidentally to say they were born in 1945. Amber Heard’s legal team now wants an explanation for the error and, more importantly, be presented with a new trial because of it.

This latest move is really no surprise on Amber Heard’s part. Her legal team made it clear that they would be appealing and that they would seek out any avenue to overturn the outcome. This is just their latest move and now we have to wait and see if it will actually work.

What are YOUR thoughts on this latest bit of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp news?

By Dave Jenks

Dave Jenks is an American novelist and Veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Between those careers, he’s worked as a deckhand, commercial fisherman, divemaster, taxi driver, construction manager, and over the road truck driver, among many other things. He now lives on a sea island, in the South Carolina Lowcountry, with his wife and youngest daughter. They also have three grown children, five grand children, three dogs and a whole flock of parakeets. Stinnett grew up in Melbourne, Florida and has also lived in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. His next dream is to one day visit and dive Cuba.