Republicans have thrown their support behind Johnny Depp, releasing a video of him as Captain Jack Sparrow just seconds after a jury found Amber Heard guilty of defamation.
After the jury ruled in Depp’s favor, the Republican House Committee on the Judiciary tweeted a GIF of the actor as Captain Jack Sparrow.
The Tweet contained no words, but it depicted one of the first scenes from the first film, Curse of the Black Pearl, in which Sparrow makes a triumphal arrival.
While the Tweet garnered almost 10,000 likes on the social media platform, many were enraged the official Twitter account had posted it.
The Republican House Committee on the Judiciary tweeted a GIF of Depp as the character of Captain Jack Sparrow seconds after the jury found in the actor’s favor
Johnny Depp won his libel case against Amber Heard (pictured before the verdict was read) and said he has ‘his life back’ after the jury ruled he was defamed and awarded him $15million
The Committee’s role is to watch over the administration of justice in federal court as well as federal law enforcement bodies.
Feminists and women’s rights campaigners called out the Tweet.
One Amber Heard supporter called the Tweet ‘disgusting#, while social media user Roo said, ‘lol – they rooted for a lib’.
Another said it showed the ‘Republican Party focusing on the important issues’.
Twitter user PlainOldMan said: ‘Remember. He’s on a sinking ship. That’s one helluva way to pick the wrong metaphor.’
Although thousands of people liked the Tweet, others were not as impressed with the Republicans’ quick-witted response
Others suggested it may not change the mind of Depp, who has spoken out against the Republicans in the past.
Johnny Depp won his libel case against Amber Heard and said he has ‘his life back’ after the jury ruled he was defamed and awarded him $15million.
In a statement after Wednesday’s verdict, Depp said: ‘Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.
And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.’
After less than three days of deliberation, the jury ruled in favor of all three of Depp’s defamation claims against Heard, finding that she had falsely accused him of domestic abuse.
The actor was awarded $15million – $10million in compensation and $5million in punitive damages.
Heard won one of her three countersuit claims, which related to statements made by Depp’s lawyer suggesting she and friends had trashed their apartment before calling the police out.
She was awarded $2million in compensatory damages out of the $100million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex-husband and received zero dollars in punitive damages.
The judge later reduced Depp’s $5million punitive damages award to the Virginia maximum of $350,000, reducing Depp’s total to $10,350,000 – minus the $2million he was ordered to pay Heard.
Depp walks away from the case with $8.35million.
The 58-year-old was not present when the Virginia courtroom delivered its verdict as he was in the UK on tour with guitar legend Jeff Beck. He was seen last night celebrating at a pub in Newcastle with Beck and UK singer Sam Fender.
Heard meanwhile walked into court wearing a plain black dress and appeared anxious. After the verdict was read out Heard briefly hugged her lawyers then exited the courtroom, while Depp’s legal team gathered for a large group hug, clearly overjoyed at the jury’s decision.
