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'This is not the end': Attorney Lisa Bloom says Amber Heard should appeal 'inconsistent verdict'

'I want to emphasize that this is not the end, because most defamation cases are really decided on appeal,' said Bloom

Attorney Lisa Bloom feels the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard defamation trial was decided on the basis of the appeal and had an "inconsistent verdict." The lawyer has previously represented public figures like Janice Dickinson, Mischa Barton, and Harvey Weinstein.

The jury decided on Wednesday, June 1, that the statements made by Heard against Depp were defamatory leading to the 58-year-old actor's win. "I want to emphasize that this is not the end, because most defamation cases are really decided on appeal. I have handled a number of defamation cases including representing Janice Dickinson against Bill Cosby. We had to argue two appeals in that case both of which were successful. And I think there are a lot of issues on appeal, for example, this is an inconsistent verdict," Bloom told BBC Newsnight.

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"How can it be that Amber Heard was defamed when Johnny Depp's lawyer said that her allegations were a hoax, and yet Johnny Depp was also defamed when she said she was representative of domestic violence? I think that's inconsistent, and you can't have an inconsistent verdict," questioned Bloom.

"She also got hit with the defamation verdict for the headline in the article which she did not write. Now, she retweeted it, but she didn't write it. I retweet articles all the time, am I responsible if there's a false statement within that article? Generally, we think people are not responsible for that. So, I think this is going to go up on appeal. I think within a year or two we're going to have a more definitive answer and outcome in this case," she concluded.

The seven-person jury deliberated for hours before finalizing the verdict, which was announced on Wednesday, June 1 in Fairfax, Virginia. The ruling found the statements made by Heard against Depp to be defamatory which is why Depp won the trial. Apart from the win, the 58-year-old actor was awarded $15 million in damages. Meanwhile, the jury also found the third statement said by Depp's lawyer, Adam Waldman to be defamatory towards Heard which is why the 36-year-old actress received $2 million in damages.

One user called Bloom out and tweeted, "she in fact quote tweeted the link with a small paragraph as to why she published the op-ed. why are we lying Ms. Bloom?" Another said, "It was NOT a retweet. Since she attached the article (that had HER name on it as the author) and then added the message 'I published this op-Ed today,' I'd say yes, she is responsible for the article. She didn't retweet someone else's article."

A third wrote, "She said 'That's why *I* wrote it' UNDER OATH. She continues with saying she wrote it 'because JOHNNY is a powerful man' So yes. She did in fact write it. And did, in fact, admit she did. She didn't just retweet. She quote tweeted saying 'Today I *publish* this article.'" A fourth added, "It was her article. She published it. She said so in plain text right under the retweet. She would've known the stakes. She didn't distance herself from the headline at all, she embraced it loud & proud. Now she's not a wall of consequences and gee that's just too bad."

Depp had sued Heard for $50 million after she wrote a 2018 Washington Post op-ed and claimed to be a victim of domestic violence. Depp's lawsuit stated, "The op-ed depended on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her." Heard then countersued Depp for $100 million in relation to the three statements made by Depp's lawyer Adam Waldman.