JOHNNY DEPP VS. AMBER HEARD TRIAL LIVE: Jury deliberations begin in $100M defamation trial

After the jurors were led out to begin deliberations in the high-profile defamation lawsuit between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, Judge Penney Azcarate got a wave of applause from the audience in Fairfax County Courthouse on Friday afternoon.

The final arguments from both sides brought the six weeks of hearing to a conclusion on Friday.

A burst of applause greeted Judge Azcarate as she congratulated the court and the counsel for their professionalism.

‘Well, that’s a first,’ she said laughing.

Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft thanks her, and then Depp’s lawyer Benjamin Chew calls out, ‘That is one thing that Miss Bredehoft and we respectfully disagr– agree. Completely agree!’

The court erupted in laughter.

Amber Heard’s used the last six minutes they had remaining to plead with the jury to think of other abuse victims and to ‘give Amber her voice back.’

It’s this simple: If you believe Depp was abusive to Amber one time ever … Then your job is very easy,’ Benjamin Rottenborn siad.

‘The evidence shows Miss Heard did not commit abuse hoaxes … The evidence shows that she was being abuse exactly how not only she, but her witnesses who support her claims, say she was.’

‘You heard Amber Heard on the stand yesterday telling you what she has experienced as a result of Mr. Depp’s promise to bring her global humiliation.’

‘Give Amber Heard her voice back. Give Amber Heard her voice back.’

Vasquez accused Amber Heard lying about being abused and said she took on a ‘role of a lifetime as a public figure representing abuse.’

During closing arguments, Vasquez pointed to Heard’s statements caught on audio recording where she admitted to hitting Depp, as being evidence of abuse.

‘The evidence overwhelmingly shows that Ms. heard is an abuser and that she is a liar,’ Vasquez said. ‘She lied about Mr. Depp and took on the role of a lifetime as a public figure representing abuse. ‘

She went on to add that Heard attempted to make herself the representative for abusers, but she ‘does not deserve’ that role.

‘While you deliberate, ask yourselves why Mr. Depp would put himself through this,’ Vasquez said. ‘Exposing every embarrassing detail of his life on national television if he was guilty of anything, anything, that Ms. Heard accuses him of.’

In Vasquez’ rebuttal Friday, she pushed back against Heard’s argument that it was her First Amendment right to publish her 2018 opinion editorial.

‘But the First Amendment doesn’t protect lies that hurt and defame people,’ Vasquez said. ‘And there’s a difference. Ms. Heard has no right to tell the world that Mr. Depp physically or sexually assaulted her when that isn’t true.’

‘It is a core value of American society that you’re innocent until proven guilty,’ Vasquez said. ‘There is a presumption of innocent in this country. A person’s life cannot an d should not be destroyed by a baseless charge and no opportunity to defend yourself.’

Closing arguments in the Depp vs. Heard trial have ended and the jury has been sent out to begin deliberations.

Judge Penney Azcarate instructed the jury on the next steps.

The jury will now decide on both Depp’s $50 million suit and Heard’s $100 million countersuit.

‘While you deliberate, ask yourself why Mr. Depp would put himself through this? Exposing every detail of his life on national television.’

Vasquez then returns to her seat and hugs Depp.

It’s the big question in the high-profile case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard that has captured viewers from around the world.

When will the verdict be released?

Both sides presented their closing arguments Friday morning. They are now giving their rebuttal arguments ahead of jury deliberation.

Jury deliberation is expected to begin Friday afternoon. A verdict could come as soon as Friday evening.

If the jury does not make a decision, they will return on Tuesday at 9 a.m. to deliberate. No deliberations will take place over the weekend or Monday, which is a holiday.

Depp is hoping the trial will help restore his reputation, though it has turned into a spectacle with cameras in the courtroom capturing every twist to an increasingly rapt audience as fans weighed in on social media and lined up overnight for coveted courtroom seats.

‘This case for Mr. Depp has never been about money,’ said Depp lawyer Benjamin Chew. ‘It is about Mr. Depp’s reputation and freeing him from the prison in which he has lived for the last six years.’

Heard’s lawyer, J. Benjamin Rottenborn, said the lawsuit is not about Depp´s reputation but is part of an ongoing smear campaign Depp launched after Heard filed for divorce.

Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez took over the rebuttal arguments after lunch on Friday accusing Heard’s team of mischaracterizing witness testimony.

Vasquez also accused Heard of lying.

‘She has come too far, she can’t back down,’ Vasquez said. ‘She’s lied too many times to too many people.’

Vasquez alleged Heard’s lies began six years ago today, when she filed for a TRO and publicly accused Depp of domestic violence.

‘Her story is a constantly moved target. It never stays the same. Mr. Depp owns his mistakes. You saw him doing that on the stand.’

Court has resumed after breaking for lunch and now jurors will hear rebuttal arguments from both sides.

Depp’s team is allotted 39 minutes.

Heard’s team is allotted six minutes.

Jury deliberations are expected to begin this afternoon. If a jury cannot agree on a verdict, they will return on Tuesday at 9 a.m. to deliberate. No deliberations will take place over the weekend or Monday, which is a holiday.

Watch the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial live on DailyMail.com’s homepage.

Johnny Depp pumped his fist excitedly in the air and smiled at fans during lunch break at Fairfax County Courthouse Friday.

The actor held an umbrella with one hand as he walked outside.

A weather alert blasted through the courtroom during closing arguments earlier. It was initially thought to be an Amber Alert but later determined a weather alert.

Rain and severe storms pummeled Fairfax, Virginia today and a flood warning is in effect.

But the bad weather didn’t dampen the spirit of fans as they stood outside wearing rain ponchos huddled under umbrellas hoping for a glimpse of Depp.

Heard’s attorney said the actress still intends to play the pledges she made to the ACLU and the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

During closing arguments, Bredehoft said she had not been able to pay the full $7M because she’s had extraordinarily high legal fees since Depp’s lawsuit.

In Heard’s testimony earlier in the trial, she said it was Depp suing her that kept her from fulfilling her pledge to donate her entire $7million divorce settlement.

However, Heard has claimed several times – including under oath in Depp’s 2020 libel case in the UK – that she had donated the entire settlement to charity.

She finally admitted on the stand while being questioned by Camille Vasquez that she she failed to pay what she had pledged.

In the second part of closing arguments for Heard’s team, her lawyer Elaine Bredehoft shot down the other side’s suggestion that her abuse allegations are a ‘hoax.’

‘They have said she has this whole hoax … but what would Amber Heard’s motive be for creating a hoax or creating any of this or making any of this up?’

Judge Penney Azcarate released jurors and the rest of the courtroom for a one-hour lunch break.

Rebuttal arguments will take place