An attorney for actor Johnny Depp spoke publicly and at length for the first time about her client’s recent victory against his ex-wife Amber Heard in an interview that aired Thursday morning.
Camille Vasquez, who made a name for herself among the Depp faithful during her devastating cross-examination of Heard during the internationally-watched trial, was asked to dish on various aspects of the process – past, present, future – during a sit-down with CBS News.
Chief among those discussion points is the still-moving legal process after Heard’s legal team recently noticed their appeal of the $10.35 million verdict against the actress. The next day, Depp’s own legal team filed their own notice of appeal “from all adverse rulings and from the final judgment order” of the Virginia Court that oversaw the dueling defamation case.
Last week, a source close to Depp told Law&Crime:
The verdict speaks for itself, and Mr. Depp believes that this is a time for both parties to move on with their lives and heal. But if Ms. Heard is determined to pursue further litigation by appealing the verdict, Mr. Depp is filing a concurrent appeal to ensure that the full record and all relevant legal issues are considered by the Court of Appeal.
Depp was awarded $10.35 million for Heard’s defamatory statements in an op-ed published by the Washington Post in 2018; Heard won $2 million for being defamed by Depp’s attorney Adam Waldman.
The ongoing nature of the legal drama, now in the appellate stage, took center-stage during the interview, Vasquez’s first since trial.
“Last week we heard that Amber Heard was going to appeal the verdict,” CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King noted. “What did you think when you heard that? What was your reaction?”
“It was expected,” Vasquez said. “I mean, she’s indicated since the day she lost the trial that she was going to appeal.”
King followed up by asking about the preparation involved for the anticipated appellate process.
“Absolutely,” Vasquez said. “And we did. Mr. Depp ended up filing his own appeal so that the court could have the full record. And if, you know, she insists on continuing to litigate this matter, we have to protect our client’s interests.”
The CBS host then quizzed the attorney about the earnestness of recent Depp-side statements about putting the litigation to bed.
“We’ve heard that it’s not about the money, it’s time for healing, and time to move on, which was the message that he sent,” King said. “But how do you heal and move on when both sides are still in court arguing?”
Vasquez brushed the implication away.
“It’s pretty standard legal procedure,” she said. “We just are hopeful that the court will uphold the verdict – which we think was the right verdict. And allow both parties to move on.”
King followed up: “So, is it safe to say that if she hadn’t appealed, you all would not have appealed either? You would have moved on?”
“Yes,” the lawyer quickly answered.
“Is that a fair statement?” the talk show host continued.
To which Vasquez replied: “That’s a very fair statement.”
[image via screengrab/CBS News]
Editor’s note: this article has been amended for clarity.
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