Lawsuit between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard

RCMS students were able to watch the lawsuit between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard as it unfolded in Fairfax County Circuit Court.

The case ended June 1 with Depp receiving 15 million and paying Heard two million.

Although Depp and Heard are not residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the court case is being held in Fairfax because the news producers that made the article, The Washington Post, houses its news broadcasting and printing in Fairfax County. 

“I think that it’s really interesting that it’s happening here in Fairfax County five minutes from my house,” said Maisie Smith-Zoh, a seventh-grader on the All Stars Team.

In 2018 Heard made an op-ed post for the Washington Post talking about domestic abuse, implying Depp was abusing her. In the post she mentioned how she was a fellow victim of abuse. After the post was made Depp was then called a wife beater by many people. Depp later sued her for $50 million and took this case to court in the UK. Depp lost the first trial and it brought up much controversy over who should’ve won. Many think the court ruling was unfair and should have ruled in Depp’s favor.

“The way the cases are held in other countries are different from the United States and could’ve been harder to win for Johnny,” said Connor Kehde, eighth-grader on the X-Treme team.

According to Rasmussen Reports, a poll shows that 40% of American Adults believe Depp is telling the truth.

Connor said, “I think that the majority of people support Johnny, but I think that the judge and jury are doing their best to make it fair, but it might be hard due to the ridiculousness of the trial.”

Depp states that Heard has abused him and ruined his reputation and career.

“I think it’s really unfair and especially because it’s widely believed that he didn’t do anything,” said Maisie.”While I don’t think that’s necessarily true if one of them is going to lose so much from this the other one should to except for if one of them is proven completely innocent although I think they both added to this.”

He was fired from the making of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 and The Fantastic Beasts franchise.

When asked by Heard’s lawyer Ben Rottenborn if he would return to Disney for “$3 million dollars and a million alpacas” he said he wouldn’t go back.

Fans believe the release of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will not be as successful without Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

“Johnny Depp is Captain Jack Sparrow and no one can change that,” said Maisie.

Some think both were at fault and they both added to the situation..

“I don’t think either of them are right in fact,” said Aryan Garg, eighth-grader on the Voyagers team.