The Depp vs The Sun trial was rigged from the get-go. Now, Johnny has his chance for a retrial, but should he peruse it?
In the heart of the storm that has been Johnny Depp’s life for the past nine years, a beacon of hope has emerged. The beloved actor, who has been embroiled in a series of legal battles that have threatened to overshadow his illustrious career, now stands on the precipice of vindication. A retrial in his libel case against The Sun, if granted, could finally clear his name and strike the term “wife beater” from the record. But is it worth it for Depp, who seems to be finally reclaiming his life and career, to plunge back into the tumultuous waters of the courtroom?
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The allegations against Depp were first made by Dan Wootton, the journalist who penned the infamous article for The Sun.
Wootton, now a presenter on GB News, is currently facing his own set of allegations. According to a recent report by The Guardian, Wootton is accused of offering colleagues large sums of money in return for sexual material under the pseudonym “Martin Branning”. The allegations, which Wootton has vehemently denied, have cast a shadow over his credibility and integrity.
The Connection Between Wootton, The Judge, and Rupert Murdoch
Wootton’s connection to the Depp case doesn’t end there. A shocking revelation discovered by the community has exposed a link between Wootton, the judge who presided over Depp’s libel case, and Rupert Murdoch, the owner of The Sun. Judge Andrew Nicol’s son, Robert Palmer, works for talkRADIO, a sister company of The Sun, also owned by Murdoch. This connection, which was swiftly deleted from Palmer’s Twitter account following its exposure, raises serious questions about the impartiality of the trial.
The Sun’s libel trial verdict, which ruled in favour of the tabloid despite the lack of substantial evidence against Depp, was met with widespread disbelief. The ruling stated that the allegations were “substantially true”, a conclusion that now seems questionable given the familial ties between Judge Nicol and Murdoch’s News Corp.
The fallout from the trial has been devastating for Depp. He lost his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise and faced potential blacklisting in Hollywood. However, Depp’s resilience has shone through. He has managed to regain the public’s trust and is slowly rebuilding his career. There are even talks of Disney offering him a lucrative deal to reprise his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.
The Case for a Retrial
The question remains: should Depp pursue a retrial? On one hand, a retrial could completely exonerate him, forcing The Sun to pay him hundreds of millions in damages. On the other hand, another long, drawn-out court battle could potentially derail the progress he has made in reclaiming his life and career.
Still, the case for a retrial is compelling. The allegations against Wootton and the connection between the judge and Murdoch suggest that the libel case was not as straightforward as it seemed. The recent revelations have led to a public outcry for a retrial, with fans and legal experts alike questioning the fairness of the original trial.
The libel trial verdict didn’t make a lot of sense to many people. The letter regarding the verdict states that although there is little to no evidence that Johnny Depp actually beat his ex-wife Amber Heard, the article was not libellous because they were “substantially true”. This ruling may make a little more sense in hindsight understanding Judge Andrew Nicol’s close family ties to Rupert Murdoch’s New Corp.
This unfair ruling has resulted in Johnny Depp losing his role as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beast 3, and it was rumoured that the rest of Hollywood had also added him to a blacklist during and after the trial. A retrial could provide Depp with the opportunity to finally put this chapter of his life behind him.
Depp, the victim of a seemingly biased trial, has emerged as a hero in the eyes of the public. He has weathered the storm with grace and dignity, proving that he is much more than the character assassination attempted by The Sun. Whether he chooses to pursue a retrial or continue to rebuild his life away from the courtroom, one thing is clear: Johnny Depp has already won the most important battle – the battle for the hearts of the public.