Amber Heard's attorney calls Depp win a 'major setback' for women
Amber Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft weighed in on the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial verdict on 'CBS Mornings' Thursday.
The verdict in the defamation case of Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard was lambasted by liberal media outlets this week, with many calling Depp’s triumph a loss for victims of domestic abuse, and indicative of a legal system stacked against women.
A Thursday opinion piece in The Washington Post claimed that the verdict was a "gag order for women" and reminiscent of a "Black Mirror" episode in which the tears of distraught women detailing abuse were "devoured with popcorn and laughter." The piece also said that Heard faced "global humiliation" and insinuated she lost because she did not live up to the "perfect victim" stereotype.
"The result is gutting for individuals who watched the trial, anticipating a victory that could empower them to speak, in belief that the justice system would protect them," Charlotte Proudman wrote in part.
The piece also said that the "biggest losers" in the case are the U.S. justice system and the women who might "put their faith in it."
Actor Amber Heard stands with her attorney attorney Elaine Bredehoft before closing arguments in the Depp v. Heard trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 27, 2022. (Steve Helber / POOL / AFP)
"The system is rigged against women," Proudman claimed.
Time Magazine similarly reacted to the trial verdict with an article entitled, "Depp v. Heard reminds us that the legal system is still stacked against survivors."
According to the article's writer, Nicole Bedera, a sociologist, the verdict in Wednesday’s case is actually proof that the MeToo movement "hasn’t gone far enough."
"The reason so many women had to say #MeToo is because of moments like this one. Survivors who come forward about the violence they have endured are often blamed instead of believed," Bedera wrote. "Harassed instead of supported. They are punished for sharing their stories, betrayed by the very systems that are supposed to protect them."
Actor Johnny Depp attends his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., April 27, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool (REUTERS)
Bedera also said that the trial is a reminder that the needs of sexual abuse survivors cannot be met by the current American criminal justice system. Instead, it slows down the healing process of survivors and is a "chilling reminder" that the movement can lose its "hard-earned gains" if a "new system" is not built.
The potential fallout of the verdict was also highlighted by The New York Times, NBC and Rolling Stone Magazine.
"In the wake of the Depp verdict, several lawyers and legal experts said, people accused of assault and misconduct may now be more inclined to try to bring defamation cases to trial," Julia Jacobs wrote in The Times.
The piece also echoed the words of Bedera, noting that domestic abuse survivor advocacy groups and lawyers now worry the verdict may have a "chilling effect" on victims. The case could add to fears that they will be punished for publicly speaking out, according to Jacobs.
Elizabeth Chuck and Kalhan Rosenblatt made a similar observation in an NBC culture piece, claiming that the verdict was a "setback" for victims of domestic violence at a time when women’s rights are "delicate." The piece even cited the expert opinion of Bedera.
AMBER HEARD'S LAWYER SAYS SHE WAS 'DEMONIZED' AT JOHNNY DEPP'S DEFAMATION TRIAL
A photo combination of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in Fairfax County Circuit Court, in Virginia, May 27, 2022. ( Steve Helber/Pool via Reuters)
The piece did note that not all survivors supported Heard, with some agreeing that she was lying and therefore discrediting other victims who may want to speak out. But, the writers quickly added a caveat.
"Experts say being accused of lying or of exaggerating domestic violence is one of many reasons those who experience it don’t speak up about it," Chuck and Rosenblatt wrote.
A culture news article, written by EJ Dickson in Rolling Stone and entitled, "‘Men Always Win’: Survivors ‘Sickened’ by the Amber Heard Verdict,"’ also painted the verdict as a loss for the MeToo movement and survivors of abuse.
Dickson claimed in the piece that the trial was "decided in the court of public opinion" weeks before the jury verdict, and highlighted a quote from Dr. Jessica Taylor. The forensic psychologist told the magazine that the trial was the "death" of the entire MeToo movement.
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"The trial has had the impact of sending survivors down a rabbit hole of re-experiencing not just the grisly details of their abuse, but the aftermath — particularly, watching their abuser get away with it," Dickson added.
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