A judge has reportedly shut down Amber Heard’s claims that one of the jurors committed fraud, effectively denying her bid for a new trial.
Heard filed documents claiming one of the jurors was using a summons that was intended for his father, who shares the same name, according to TMZ. Heard argued this meant the juror was fraudulently empaneled during her first trial.
The father and son live in the same residence, and the judge ruled that there was no fraud committed since the summons didn’t include a birth date. This meant either the father or the son could have attended as jury members, according to TMZ.
Judge denies Amber Heard’s bid for a new trial in Johnny Depp case https://t.co/yWW6Jog7iE pic.twitter.com/SZvKmI5bjb
— New York Post (@nypost) July 13, 2022
The judge reportedly called Heard out for bringing the information forward after she lost the trial. The judge suggested it would have been more prudent to bring the matter to the court’s attention earlier, according to the outlet.
The judge also refused to grant leniency to Heard after she complained that the $10 million compensatory damages she owed Johnny Depp were exorbitant, according to TMZ. (RELATED: Amber Heard’s Lawyer Says Actress Was ‘Demonized’ And ‘Absolutely’ Can’t Pay Her $10.4 Million In Damages)
Amber Heard lost what may have been her best argument for a new trial … because the judge has just slammed the gavel on her claim one of the jurors committed fraud. https://t.co/Y3ujPftuRI
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 13, 2022
Heard can still exercise her right to appeal the court’s decision, but this new development makes her far less likely to succeed, the outlet continued.
Heard lost the defamation suit filed against her by Depp. The actor sued Heard in connection with Heard’s claims that he had abused her during their relationship in an op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018.