The jury has reached a verdict in the high-profile defamation trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. It will be announced at 3 p.m. ET.
It’s being reported that Johnny Depp will not be present to hear the verdict read in the Fairfax, Virginia, courthouse “due to previously scheduled work commitments made before the trial.” They added that he will “be watching from the United Kingdom.”
While neither the plaintiff nor the defendant must be present during a verdict reading in a civil trial, both actors’ legal teams will be there.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1964 that defamation suits brought by notable figures must not only prove the claims were false and caused them damage, but that the person who made the defamatory statement did so with “actual malice.”
The high-profile trial, which took place over about six weeks in Fairfax County, Virginia, was broadcast across the country and drew numerous headlines. NBC News
This story is ongoing and will be updated