Americas press review
In the spotlight: the verdict of the Amber Heard – Johnny Depp trial
American actress Amber Heard was ordered to pay $15 million following the trial against her ex-husband Johnny Depp on June 1, 2022. © AP/CourtTV
Text by: Christophe Paget Follow
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Actor Johnny Depp emerged victorious on Wednesday June 1 from his highly publicized trial against his ex-wife and actress Amber Heard.
Jurors found them both guilty of defamation, but while the
Pirates of the Caribbean
actor was awarded $15 million in damages, Amber Heard is only due to receive two.
The
Washington Post
refers to the post-verdict as a time of "
confusion, euphoria, and for some, disappointment
."
Confusion because at the beginning no one really understood how Amber Heard could receive compensation when Johnny Depp had won.
Euphoria for the actor's fans, who welcomed his ex-wife "
the same way they treated her during the six weeks of the trial
", making her feel that they did not believe her: "
Liar, liar
, “screamed a fan of Johnny Depp, saying in the
Washington Post
that Amber Heard had”
hurt all those who are victims of real domestic violence
“.
In fact, the newspaper points out, during the trial, the actress's lawyers were taken by surprise by the amount of ridicule her accusations of abuse brought - online, Johnny Depp's fans were overwhelmingly the most numerous and attacked those who tried to defend it.
An impact on the #MeToo movement?
A question comes up in the daily newspapers: can this verdict have an impact on the situation of women victims of violence, and more broadly on the #MeToo movement?
Some experts interviewed by
The Hill
"
fear that the hostility Amber Heard has faced throughout the trial and Johnny Depp's landslide victory will discourage some victims of abusive partners from speaking out
."
Writing in the
LA Times
, law professor Susan Seager thinks the verdict "
sends the wrong signal to men, women, or whoever the abuser is: just sue your victim and ruin them in suing for defamation
”.
In the
New York Times
, journalist Jessica Bennett looks back on the incredible "
circus
" that was the trial, unheard of since that of OJ Simpson - a pirate ship installed in court, conspiracy theories, everyone who improvises as an expert...
“
Even after promising that we had learned from the treatment suffered by women like Monica Lewinsky or Britney Spears, we are still not a society that does not broadcast these events on television, that does not capitalize on the misfortunes of celebrities, that don't salivate watching a woman dragged lower than the ground.
As Lewinsky said in his essay for Vanity Fair: we are all guilty
”, can we read.
"Unconditional Release" by John Hinckley
Also in the United States, John Hinckley, the man who attempted to assassinate then-President Ronald Reagan in 1981, will be released unconditionally.
The
Wall Street Journal
recalls that he was fixated on actress Jodie Foster, "
and thought that attacking the American president would impress
him ".
A jury had found him not guilty by reason of insanity, "
and had him locked up in a psychiatric hospital for more than twenty years
", says the
New York Times
.
In 2016, he was allowed to live with his late mother, observing certain restrictions which will therefore be lifted on June 15 - according to the prosecutor's office, his psychiatric illness has been in complete remission for decades .
In a statement quoted by the newspaper, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation said it was "
vigorously opposed to his release as he apparently intends to seek to profit from this infamy
".
John Hinckley has indicated that he now intends to make a living from his music.
Nicolas Maduro and the Colombian election
In Venezuela, President Maduro extends his hand to Colombia: "
Whoever wins (the presidential election in Colombia), all we want is peace and cooperation
," the Venezuelan president said on Wednesday. , quote quoted in title by
Efecto Cocuyo
.
Before that, notes
Alberto News
, Nicolas Maduro had claimed that "
six million Colombians live in peace in Venezuela and no one bothers them
".
Efecto Cocuyo
recalls that his government
"severed diplomatic relations with Ivan Duque in February 2019, because Bogota had recognized the opponent Juan Guaido as interim president
".
Alberto News goes further, speaking of tensions "
inherited from Nicolas Maduro's mentor, Hugo Chavez
".
The newspaper also examines the opinion of the two Colombian presidential candidates: the independent Rodolfo Hernandez "
defends a return to consular relations with Venezuela
".
The same goes for the left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro, who, notes
Alberto News
, still considered Nicolas Maduro to be one of the "
leaders of the politics of death
".
The newspaper does not specify when the interview dates.
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