Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp said that he hopes for a “better time ahead” as he posted a message to his fans on Instagram.
Depp’s message comes after his lawyers told the Court of Appeal that the actor “did not receive a fair trial.”
In an Instagram post over the weekend, Depp shared a throwback photo with Pogues singer Shane McGowan.
“This year has been so hard for so many. Here’s to a better time ahead. Happy Holidays, everyone! My love and respect to you all. Eternally, JD. X,” Depp wrote.
The 57-year-old star sued The Sun’s publishers for libel over an article that branded him a ‘wife-beater.’
His lawyers said the ruling that he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard and left the actress fearing for her life is “plainly wrong.”
Depp’s barrister David Sherborne said the judge “just accepted everything Ms Heard said, however implausible and however inconsistent with the documents.”
The actor’s legal team also claim that Mr. Justice Nicol “failed to undertake any, or an adequate analysis, of Ms Heard’s shifting account, despite the importance of consistency as a consideration of a witness’s testimony.”
Mr. Sherborne said in written submissions to the Court of Appeal that Mr. Nicol “concluded that the appellant was guilty of serious physical assaults without taking account of or even acknowledging that Ms Heard had been untruthful in her evidence, without testing her account against the documentary evidence and the evidence of other witnesses, and without making any findings that he disbelieved those witnesses.”
“His uncritical acceptance of her account of events is manifestly unsafe,” Mr. Sherborne added. “The conclusion which flows from an overall assessment of the judgment is that (Mr Justice Nicol) decided to find for the ‘victim’ but failed to provide the necessary analysis to explain or justify that conclusion.
“Also he excluded relevant evidence from his consideration, ignored or dismissed as irrelevant matters that substantially undermined Ms Heard, made findings unsupported by the evidence, and failed to assess whether her allegations could withstand proper scrutiny.
“The judge failed to properly assess her credibility by reference to documentary evidence, photographs, recordings or otherwise.”
The barrister concluded: “This was a very public judgment, reached by a single judge, making devastating findings of extremely serious criminal offences having been committed, and where this has had wider ranging implications for the public at large, particularly victims, or those wrongly accused, of alleged domestic abuse.
“It is important that in such circumstances, and especially where the flaws in this judgment are so many and so fundamental as to warrant a proper review, that there is an effective appeal process.”
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Replaced!