Can Amber Heard be tried for perjury in UK? Unpaid charity pledge may invite 'police probe'
Seems like Amber Heard can get into another case trial! After revealing she has yet to pay the $7 million donations she promised after her divorce from Johnny Depp, Amber Heard could face even more legal problems. The 'Aquaman' star has insisted that she had donated her entire divorce settlement to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles on numerous occasions. However, during Depp's defamation trial, it was revealed that she had not made the full payment of the pledged amount.
Heard made the confession during her defamation trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp in Fairfax County, Virginia on Tuesday, May 18, 2022. Depp's lawyer questioned the 36-year-old about whether she paid for the donation or simply pledged it. After a lengthy back-and-forth, Heard finally told the court, "I fully intend to honor all of my pledges," after admitting the money had not been paid in full. "I would love for [Depp] to stop suing me so I can," she added. After her confession, many experts came forward and spoke on the perjury Heard had seemingly committed.
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Sean Caulfield, a partner at law firm 'Hodge, Jones & Allen,’ told The Express that Heard’s new confession is a problem that goes to the heart of the UK legal system. "While it may not be a central issue to the case [the donations], perjury is the single biggest threat and cuts to the core of our justice system, so the police may be invited to investigate to show that any member of the public who lies to the court can be prosecuted for perjury," he said.
“Ms. Heard — respectfully, that’s not my question”: #JohnnyDepp’s attorney repeatedly told #AmberHeard “that’s not my question” during a tense back-and-forth about her non-fulfilled pledge to donate her $7 million settlement to charity. @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/PXZHR3SQbp
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) May 16, 2022
Legal expert Mark Stephens said that the police may investigate but prosecution can be unlikely. "It is notoriously difficult to bring and prosecute a perjury case," he told the Daily Mail. "You have to show that someone deliberately told an untruth as opposed to them being confused or misremembering. I think it would be a very difficult thing to do.” Stephens continued, "How do you prove that she knew? She may have been given advice that the donations were made,” adding, "Access to bank accounts if you are a celebrity may be managed. You may well believe that you made or have committed to the donations."
The back-and-forth cross-examination regarding the $7M settlement. #DonatevPledge.
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) May 16, 2022
Heard: I use pledge and donate synonymous with one another.
Vasquez: Respectufully, that's not my question. #AmberHeard #JohnnyDepp pic.twitter.com/YbhBsYTmxl
After the truth came out, people on Twitter, especially #TeamDepp slammed Heard. One person wrote, “Amber Heard and her lawyers concocted this entire sham of a story to extort a 7 million dollar settlement, ongoing support, penthouses & a range rover. She took credit for huge charity donation that never happened, she perpetrates domestic violence. #AmberHeardIsAPsycopath” Another person wrote, “Amber equates charity pledge to home mortgage. You know what happens when you don’t make mortgage payments? You no longer own that home. You know what happens when you don’t meet obligations of your charitable pledge? You didn’t fulfill your donation. #DeppVsHeard #AmberHeard.” One more person said, “Amber Heard would like to thank each and everyone of her supporters and fans with a 3.5 million dollar donation to a charity of their choice.”
Amber Heard and her lawyers concocted this entire sham of a story to extort a 7 million dollar settlement, ongoing support, penthouses & a range rover. She took credit for huge charity donation that never happened, she perpetrates domestic violence. #AmberHeardIsAPsycopath
— Erin Reilly Bradley (@erin_bradley02) May 13, 2022
Amber equates charity pledge to home mortgage. You know what happens when you don’t make mortgage payments? You no longer own that home. You know what happens when you don’t meet obligations of your charitable pledge? You didn’t fulfill your donation. #DeppVsHeard #AmberHeard
— M Cole (@dempshea) May 16, 2022
Amber Heard would like to thank each and everyone of her supporters and fans with a 3.5 million dollar donation to a charity of their choice.
— frank drebin (@danblock4) May 18, 2022