Memorabilia from the Depp-Heard defamation trial – including used wristbands and a notebook full of ‘top secret’ jury observations – are now selling for thousands of dollars on eBay.
Larry Forman, a defense attorney from Louisville, Kentucky, attended the court case – which saw Depp win $15 million, while Heard took home $2 million – for various days back in May, and during his time there, he wrote down almost everything he saw in a notebook.
Exes Heard, 35, and Depp, 58 – who tied the knot in 2015, and were married for one year before Heard filed for divorce in 2016 – battled it out in court to determine if a 2018 Washington Post essay written by Heard, in which she accused the actor of domestic abuse, defamed Depp.
Memorabilia from the Depp-Heard trial – including used wristbands and a notebook full of ‘top secret’ jury observations (pictured) – are selling for thousands of dollars on eBay
Larry Forman (pictured), an attorney from Kentucky, attended the court case for various days back in May, and during his time there, he wrote down almost everything he saw in a notebook
Exes Heard, 35, and Depp, 58, (pictured in court) battled it out in court to determine if a 2018 essay written by Heard, in which she accused the actor of domestic abuse, defamed Depp
One page of the journal could be seen, featuring what appears to be notes and signatures left by others
Forman appears to have kept the more juicy details about the jury hidden, sharing a peak into his journal on the eBay listing but covering much of the writing up with a yellow paper
Forman, who was not professionally involved in the case, made 60 pages of notes detailing the juror’s facial expressions, their reactions to the witnesses, and their interactions with one another.
He then listed it on the e-commerce website eBay, calling it a ‘piece of history’ with ‘never before seen top secret information’ on the trial, where it ultimately sold for $14,969.
It was first listed on June 1 with a starting bid of 99 cents, and it went on to receive more than 100 bids before it sold for just under $15,000 on June 8.
Forman told Insider that he decided to go to the trial, which swept the nation and was talked about by millions of people around the world – in early May after becoming ‘enamored with the case.’
Although the trial was livestreamed online, the jury was never shown on camera, so Forman said he thought it was ‘important’ to document their every move while he was there.
‘You have to see how they react to defense witnesses. Then you have to see how they react to the plaintiff’s witnesses. Then you have to see how they react during breaks,’ he explained.
Forman made 60 pages of notes detailing the juror’s facial expressions, their reactions to the witnesses, and their interactions with one another, and sold it online for $14,969
He called it a ‘piece of history’ with ‘never before seen top secret information’ on the trial, and it ultimately sold for $14,969. A page from the journal is pictured
Although the trial was livestreamed, the jury was never shown on camera, so Forman said he thought it was ‘important’ to document their every move. Depp is seen in court on April 20
‘Who do they look at? Who do they smile at? Having that attorney knowledge … has put me in the absolute best position to watch that and comment on it.’
Forman – who plans to donate his earnings to the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles (CHLA) – is now also selling his used wristbands, which gained him access to the trial – with the one used to enter the trial on the last day going for $5,000. The auction is set to end in nine days, and it doesn’t have any bids yet.
Forman (pictured) plans to donate his earnings to the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles
‘Own a piece of pop culture history while supporting a great cause, Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles,’ he wrote in the description.
‘Rare item, in prestige condition, fully intact. Wristband has not been cut.’
Heard previously stated that she was going to donate the $7 million that she earned in her divorce settlement from Depp to two charities, including the hospital, but ultimately only gave CHLA $250,000.
In the trial, the actress claimed that she gave less to the hospital because Depp began suing her for $50 million, but insisted that she still plans to ‘honor her pledges.’
Foreman added in the description for the wristbands, ‘While others have failed, lied and misled the world about their philanthropy, we – a select few, who were on the ground reporting live from the courtroom when justice prevailed during Depp V. Heard, are sponsoring this auction to benefit CHLA.
He is also selling his used wristbands, which gained him access to the trial – with the one used to enter the trial on the last day going for $5,000 (pictured)
Others are also re-selling their entry bracelets to the trial on the site, but the prices are not as steep – ranging from one May 16 band for $50 and another from the final day for $3,500
Hundreds would line up for hours in the hopes of getting in, with people starting to queue as early as midnight the night before. Fans are pictured outside of the courtroom on the last day
‘Now is the time for the public to step up and donate where others have faltered in their pledges. Now is the time to to become role models in altruism.’
Others are also re-selling their entry bracelets to the trial on the site, but the prices are not as steep – ranging from one day 16 band which has a starting bid of $50 and another from the final day which is currently up to $3,500.
Every day of the trial, which took place in Fairfax, Virginia, the first 100 people in line received a wristband and were allowed in to watch.
Hundreds would line up for hours in the hopes of getting in, with president of West Coast Trial Lawyers Neama Rahmani telling the outlet that people would start queuing as early as midnight the night before.
On May May 31, the jury ruled firmly in favor of the Pirates of the Caribbean star, stating that he was defamed by his former spouse, who was ordered to pay him $15 million in punitive and compensatory damages.
Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages out of the $100 million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex. She was awarded zero dollars in punitive damages.
According to Foreman, he was confident that Depp was going to win the trial, after studying the jury carefully.
Someone posted a screenshot of Foreman’s listing of the notebook to TikTok where it quickly went viral – leaving the internet divided over his decision to sell it online
Some people called it ‘icky’ and ‘weird’ that he was selling the journal, while others defended him and pointed out that the money was going to charity
‘Watching the jury, I was absolutely convinced that some of them, not all of them – number two and number six and number five were the hardest ones to read – were going to be on Johnny’s side,’ he said.
‘After seeing their reactions, I was firmly convinced that Johnny was going to win.’
Someone posted a screenshot of Foreman’s listing of the notebook to TikTok where it quickly went viral – gaining more than 686,000 views in a matter of hours and leaving the internet divided over his decision to sell it online.
‘There’s a guy who attended the Amber Heard and Jonny Depp trial. He took notes in this notebook that he just sold on eBay for a ton of money,’ the TikTok user, named Shannon Burns, said in the clip.
‘He has about 60 pages of notes and it has information that wasn’t show in the livestream, like different reactions from the jurors and things like that.
‘The whole court case turned into a huge spectacle so it’s not surprising that he ended up selling the notebook on eBay for just under $15,000.’
Some people called it ‘icky’ and ‘weird’ that he was selling the journal, while others defended him and pointed out that the money was going to charity.
‘People are so obsessed with celebrity libel trials it’s truly sad,’ one person wrote in the comment section.
‘Nah, I’m done with this society,’ added another, while a third person said, ‘I don’t understand why anyone would buy that.’
‘This whole thing feels ick,’ agreed a different user. Another comment read, ‘People are insane, SMH.’
‘He donated all the money,’ defended someone else. Another gushed, ‘That’s an amazing human right there.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk