Opinion: In Depp v. Heard, forensic psychiatry took the stand. We weren’t impressed
Like millions of people around the world, we’ve found ourselves drawn to the Depp v. Heard trial. As forensic psychiatrists, we’ve had a professional interest as well as a pop culture interest, since members of our profession were in the spotlight in court.
In this unfortunate and complex clash between divorced actors, Johnny Depp sued Amber Heard for $50 million for defamation due to her 2018 Washington Post essay that implied Depp had perpetrated partner violence. Heard counter-sued Depp for $100 million for defamation, stemming from statements made by his attorney in 2020 that the abuse was a hoax. On Wednesday, the jury found that Depp had been defamed by the op-ed, and also that Heard had been defamed by Depp’s lawyer, and awarded large damages to each.
