DEPP V. HEARD – DOES IT EVER END?

I saw a piece on Mediaite.com in which noted First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams opined that Johnny Depp would have another strong libel case against Amber Heard based on comments she made to Savannah Guthrie in a post-trial interview.   Among other things, in the interview, Ms. Heard said that no other women have come forward (presumably to accuse Mr. Depp of abuse) because of the treatment Ms. Heard received.

In Floyd’s view (I can call him by his first name because I played tennis with him once at a media law conference – no comment on who won) that comment may “hint clearly enough” that Mr. Depp engaged in misconduct. And given that she’d just come off a jury verdict finding those allegations false, she is playing with fire here.  Ms. Heard (or her publisher) may also think about what goes into Ms. Heard’s anticipated “tell all” autobiography.  Again, given the jury verdict floating out there, someone (like a competent First Amendment lawyer)had better review the book before it’s published.

America may have an appetite for Depp v. Heard the sequel, but I suspect Ms. Heard and her publisher do not.