The dramatic and highly publicized Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial ended Wednesday, June 1, after two days of jury deliberations. Depp won his defamation case against Heard and was awarded $15 million in damages and compensations. Heard was awarded $2 million in damages in her countersuit. With billions of views of the trial on social media, there are many opinions about both Depp and Heard and the verdict.
Here are some Depp-Heard trial reflections from students at Algonquin College:
Name: Shifa Kasiri
Program: Interactive Media Design
“I don’t know how to feel. Johnny Depp was right in his way and Amber Heard clearly lied, but social media has been very cruel to her.”
Name: Keito Yokota
Program: Interactive Media Design
“I don’t know much besides what I’ve seen on social media. Although, my friend was abused by his ex-girlfriend. On one occasion, she kicked him in the head. He was in love, so he did nothing about it. I hope this trial helps men come forward.”
Name: Maya Laurito
Program: Pre-health sciences
“The trial was very interesting. Amber Heard was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder; she wasn’t well, she lied, and clearly was not a reliable or viable to be under oath. Why was she allowed to testify in court? It’s not fair what she did to Johnny Depp, but how she was presented in court and how she was destroyed by social media was also not fair.”
Name: Camila Vasquez
Program: Pre-health sciences
“The trial made me scared for women in domestic violence cases, especially in the situation where the man is rich and powerful.”
Name: Ajithyugan Jeyakumar
Program: Computer Engineering Technology
“At the beginning, I thought Amber Heard was right, but not anymore. She destroyed her name. Men typically don’t share when things like this happen, they just move on. They didn’t worry about it. Maybe now they will share, but everyone is different. It was a very interesting case.”
Name: Clara “Symphony Page”
Program: Fictional Writing Online
“I think it’s finally time men spoke up. It is completely immoral that Amber Heard lied. The fact that she published a lie and tried to backtrack was so wrong. I’m worried that female victims of abuse will be afraid to come forward because of what happened with Amber Heard.”