EXPLAINER: Each count the Depp-Heard jurors considered

By R.J. RICO
Associated Press

As a public figure, Johnny Depp faced a high bar to win his libel lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard. According to seven unanimous jurors, he cleared it. The Virginia civil jury ruled in favor of Depp on all three of his counts Wednesday afternoon, finding that Heard had not only made false and defamatory statements about him in the op-ed, but that she’d done so with “actual malice.” Depp’s victory was not absolute, though. That’s because the jurors also concluded that part of Heard’s counterclaim had merits. The jury rejected two of Heard’s three counts, but found that a lawyer for Depp had defamed her once.