Amber Heard calls for retrial of Johnny Depp defamation case

• Lawyers claim that one juror was not part of the jury panel and could not have properly served on the jury.
• A mistrial should be declared and a new trial ordered, they argue.
• Mr. Depp filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife over an essay she wrote about her experiences as a victim of domestic violence.

Amber Heard legal team said that “newly discovered facts and information” about juror 15 meant that a mistrial ought to be declared in documents filed on Friday.

According to the attorneys, one of the people who had been initially summoned to serve in the trial had not shown up and had been substituted.

“Juror No 15 was not the individual summoned for jury duty on April 11, 2022, and therefore was not part of the jury panel and could not have properly served on the jury at this trial,” the documents stated.

The documents continued: “As the Court no doubt agrees, it is deeply troubling for an individual not summoned for jury duty nonetheless to appear for jury duty and serve on a jury, especially in a case such as this.

“This was a high-profile case, where the fact and date of the jury trial were highly publicised prior to and after the issuance of the juror summonses.”

Lawyers added that Ms Heard had the right “to rely on basic protection… that the jurors in this trial would be individuals who were actually summoned for jury duty”.

“Ms Heard’s due process was therefore compromised,” the documents stated.

“Under these circumstances, a mistrial should be declared, and a new trial ordered.”

The legal team for Ms. Heard had previously argued that the evidence given during the six-week trial did not support the judgement handed on June 1 in Mr. Depp’s favour.

In 2018, Mr. Depp filed a lawsuit against his ex-partner over an essay she wrote for the Washington Post about her experiences as a victim of domestic violence, which, according to his attorneys, erroneously accused him of being the abuser.

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Throughout his own testimony, Mr. Depp vehemently refuted the “outrageous, outlandish” allegations of abuse.

The 59-year-old received a damages award of $10.35 million (£8.2 million).

Ms. Heard was successful in proving that her ex-publicity husband’s agency defamed her by calling her charges “an abuse hoax” intended to capitalise on the #MeToo movement in one count of her countersuit.

The judges gave her a $2 million (£1.5 million) damage award.

Heard was questioned during the six-week trial about why she had not yet fulfilled her pledge to donate the seven million dollar (£5.7 million) divorce settlement to charities.

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Since losing her legal battle with the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, Ms. Heard has stated in interviews that she “absolutely” still loves her ex-husband.

Amber Heard 36-year-old actress also expressed concern that future speaking out may result in her being “silenced.”