Johnny Depp may not be able to make Amber Heard pay $10.35 million she owes him, lawyer hints

After losing the defamation trial, Johnny Depp’s lawyer hinted that he might not pursue his ex-wife Amber Heard for the $10.35 million in damages she owes him.

A Virginia jury decided last week that Heard should pay $15 million in damages to Depp for defaming him, while Depp was ordered to pay her $2 million. Because of Virginia regulations restricting punitive damages in defamation cases, the amount Heard owed Depp was reduced to $10.35 million.

However, on Wednesday, Benjamin Chew, Johnny Depp’s lawyer, stated on a television broadcast that Amber Heard might not have to pay the money after all.

When asked by George Stephanopoulos of Good Morning America if Depp would agree to a settlement in which Heard agrees not to appeal the case in exchange for “Depp waiving any monetary damages,” Chew implied that such a deal was on the table.

“We obviously can’t disclose any attorney-client communications, but as Mr Depp testified and as we both made clear in our respective closings, this was never about money for Mr Depp,” Chew said on the show. “This was about restoring his reputation, and he’s done that.”

Meanwhile, Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, told another TV host that her client couldn’t afford to pay Depp that amount.