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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
National
Joseph Wilkinson

Republican congressional committee tweets Jack Sparrow gif after Depp-Heard verdict

Sometimes a picture really is worth 1,000 words.

A defiant gif of Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean” was sent from the Twitter account representing the Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee after the verdict came down in Depp’s defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard.

Depp, 58, won the suit against Heard and was awarded $15 million in damages by the jury. Heard, 36, won a smaller $2 million counterclaim against Depp.

The House Judiciary Committee includes 24 Democrats and 17 Republicans, with the Republicans led by outspoken Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. Jordan did not send any Depp-related tweets from his personal account.

Depp’s own political beliefs aren’t widely known, but in 2017, he made jokes about a potential assassination of then-President Donald Trump.

“When was the last time an actor assassinated the president?” Depp asked, referring to John Wilkes Booth’s killing of Abraham Lincoln. Earlier in the exchange, Depp said Trump “needs help and there are a lot of wonderful dark, dark places he could go.”

Depp was much more diplomatic when making a statement after the verdict came down in his favor.

“False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content,” Depp wrote on Instagram. “And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”

Heard, on the other hand, said she was heartbroken.

“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” she said in a statement. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence and sway of my ex-husband.”

Depp’s presence in the “Pirates” franchise, which has generated billions of dollars, remains up in the air.

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