(CNN) — Judge Penney Azcarate has ruled that the jury will resume deliberations in the libel trial of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard on Tuesday.
The seven members of the jury have deliberated for about two hours on Friday.
Azcarate reminded jurors not to read or consume any news about the case or discuss it with anyone over the long weekend, saying the responsibilities are “extremely important now that they are in the deliberation phase.”
Jurors will resume deliberations around 9:00 am Tuesday.
For six intense weeks both sides presented testimony, evidence and cross-examination on the stand in the Depp-Heard libel trial. And, now, the seven members of the jury will deliberate to reach a verdict.
Judge Azcarate told jurors that their verdict must be unanimous before sending them to deliberate around 3:00 pm on Friday.
“I know that this trial has been a great sacrifice for all of you and has taken your life for weeks, Azcarate told the jury. “And I know that I speak for all of us who are associated with the case and I want to thank you for your service in this matter. “.
The focus of the trial is a 2018 opinion piece written by Heard in the Washington Post where she identified herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse,” which Depp says falsely painted him as an abuser and cost him his life. I work in Hollywood. Heard countersued Depp, claiming that her attorney’s claims that her abuse allegations were a “hoax” by her defamed her and her burgeoning career.
Shortly before deliberations began, jurors heard closing arguments from lawyers for Heard and Depp.
Heard’s lawyer’s message to the jury
Amber Heard meets with her attorney Elaine Bredehoft on Friday.
Heard’s attorney, Ben Rottenborn, told the jury that if Depp couldn’t prove he never abused Heard, she would win the case.
“Mr. Depp just can’t prove to them that he never abused Amber,” Rottenborn said. “A ruling against Amber here sends the message that no matter what you do as a victim of abuse, you always have to do more. No matter what you document, you always have to document more. No matter who you tell, you always have to tell to more people. No matter how honest you are about your own imperfections and your own shortcomings in a relationship, you have to be perfect for people to believe you. Don’t send that message.”
Depp’s lawyer’s message to the jury
Johnny Depp in court on Friday.
Earlier on Friday, Depp’s lawyers argued that Heard was the abuser, not Depp.
“What Ms. Heard testified in this courtroom is the story of too many women,” said attorney Camille Vasquez. “But the overwhelming evidence and the weight of that evidence shows that it is not his story. It is not Ms. Heard’s story. It was an act of profound cruelty, not only to Mr. Depp, but to the actual survivors of domestic abuse. For Ms. Heard to present herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. It was untrue, defamatory and caused irreparable harm.”
Over six weeks, jurors heard more than 100 hours of testimony that often gave conflicting views on aspects of the former couple’s private lives, from movie deals to accounts of violent altercations, either in person or remotely. or through recorded statements that were edited.
