The six-week trial concluded June 1, when a jury of five men and two women agreed that Depp proved
all three of his defamation claims against Heard in connection with a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she
wrote implying that Depp had abused her. The jury awarded him $10 million in compensatory damages
and $5 million in punitive damages.
Heard prevailed on one of her three defamation claims against Depp and was awarded $2 million in
compensatory damages.
After both sides appealed parts of the verdict, Depp and Heard settled the case in December, with
Heard agreeing to pay Depp $1 million, which he pledged to donate to charity. The judgments in Depp's
favor on his defamation claims were not vacated as part of the settlement, according to Chew.
"That was the most important part of the settlement from Mr. Depp's perspective," he said. "It was
never about money for him. It was about restoring his good name."
During the trial, Heard accused Depp of beating and sexually assaulting her, which Depp denied. He
contended that Heard was the actual abuser, accusing her, for instance, of defecating on their bed and
hurling a liquor bottle at him, slicing one of his fingers.
The Depp verdict was widely seen as part of a backlash to the #MeToo movement, but Chew described
it as "the #MeToo case with no other 'me toos.'"
"There was not a single woman, either before or after Ms. Heard, who ever alleged that Mr. Depp ever
engaged in any physical abuse," Chew said. "In fact, all other women with whom he had relationships
would affirm that he was never violent in any way, which gave us a lot of confidence."
Audio recordings of Depp and Heard arguing and insulting one another also proved to be "incredibly
powerful" evidence for the jury, according to Vasquez. In one of the recordings, Heard appears to mock
Depp, saying, "Tell them, 'I, Johnny Depp, I'm a victim of domestic abuse' ... and see how many people
believe or side with you."
The recordings showed the jury that "whoever Amber Heard was going to be on the stand was very
different from the person who was in that relationship [with Depp] at the time," Vasquez said.
Chew selected Vasquez, who was an associate at the time of the trial, to help steer the Depp litigation
team because he "saw this case, analyzed it and realized he needed a woman to co-lead with him,"
Vasquez said.
"Camille was the obvious choice," Chew added. "I simply have never worked with a better lawyer."
In preparing for her cross-examination of Heard, Vasquez said she and her co-counsel studied Heard's
deposition in her divorce case with Depp, "really dug into her" and got to know the "types of questions
that would elicit certain defensive or angry responses."
She added, "We formulated the cross-examination so it would be like a dance and have points where
the jury would be able to see the real Amber Heard. There were a few moments when she lost face, if
you will, and was so angry that she would argue and be defensive with me."