Summary: The defamation trial between Johnny Depp & Amber Heard – Mothership.SG

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This story comprises descriptions of bodily and sexual abuse. Discretion is suggested.

Until you’ve got been residing beneath a rock, you’d in all probability have heard concerning the ongoing defamation trial involving Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, 58, and his ex-wife Amber Heard, 36.

Heard had accused Depp of home violence in a Washington Put up op-ed in Dec. 2018, whereas Depp is suing her for defamation.

The trial commenced on April 11, 2022, with the closing arguments scheduled for Could 27.

This is some background details about this case.

Earlier than the defamation case

Heard and Depp met in October 2009 on the set of “The Rum Diary”, by which they performed lovers.

Following Depp’s break up from long-time companion French actress Vanessa Paradis, Depp and Heard began a relationship in 2012, in response to Selection.

Depp and Heard tied the knot in February 2015.

In Could 2016, Heard filed for divorce and obtained a short lived restraining order in opposition to Depp.

Heard accused Depp of being verbally and bodily abusive in direction of her, partially blaming it on drug and alcohol abuse.

In August 2016, the couple settled their divorce case. Heard dismissed the allegations of bodily abuse in opposition to Depp, and retracted her request for a restraining order.

She additionally pledged to donate your complete divorce settlement of US$7 million (round S$9.7 million) that Depp paid her to charity.

The settlement included a non-disclosure settlement (NDA) that stops both celebration from discussing the connection publicly.

Two years later, nonetheless, the matter was again to hang-out Depp.

In June 2018, Depp sued The Solar and its govt editor for libel, after an article the place they labelled Depp as a “spouse beater,” claiming that he had abused Heard throughout their relationship.

In November 2020, Depp misplaced the case and subsequently resigned from the “Improbable Beasts” movie sequence, on the request of the manufacturing firm, Warner Bros.

How the lawsuit took place

In December 2018, The Washington Put up revealed an op-ed written by Heard, which included the next sentence:

“Then two years in the past, I grew to become a public determine representing home abuse, and I felt the complete drive of our tradition’s wrath for ladies who converse out.”

The actress doesn’t explicitly establish Depp in her piece.

In February 2019, Depp sued Heard over this text for defamation, claiming US$50 million (round S$69 million) in damages.

In accordance with the courtroom doc shared by Deadline, Heard’s “clear implication” that her former husband is a “home abuser is categorically and demonstrably false” and “defamatory per se“.

Depp claimed that Heard’s allegations have been “a part of an elaborate hoax to generate optimistic publicity” for Heard and to advance her profession.

He additionally mentioned that Heard’s false implications had adversely affected his profession as a movie actor and repute as a public determine, as he misplaced film roles—particularly his main position as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.

Heard responded by lodging a US$100 million counterclaim in August 2020.

Within the courtroom doc, Heard accused Depp of “orchestrat[ing] a false and defamatory smear marketing campaign” in opposition to her, which included “false and defamatory statements” so as to get her fired from “Aquaman”.

Details of rivalry

The courthouse battle has been broadcasted by way of quite a few reside streams because it began.

In the course of the opening statements, Depp’s authorized crew accused Heard of constructing him seem like a “villain”.

They insinuated that her phrases have induced “irreparable hurt,” including that his title is now related to “a lie, a false assertion uttered by his former spouse.”

The allegation that Heard is a sufferer of home violence by Depp might be proved a lie, the crew mentioned.

Heard’s attorneys argued that her phrases within the article weren’t about Depp, her marriage, or her relationship however her “life after that”, emphasising it is “her proper” to talk these phrases “whether or not you agree” with them or not.

Nonetheless, they admitted that Heard had accused Depp of abuse.

In addition they insisted that it was Depp’s “personal dangerous behaviour” that tarnished his repute.

One in every of Heard’s attorneys additionally described the couple’s journey to Australia as a “three-day hostage state of affairs”, alleging that Depp took eight to 10 ecstasy tablets in Australia earlier than sexually assaulting Heard.

Regardless of being listed as one of many potential witnesses for Heard, billionaire CEO of Tesla Elon Musk, whom she briefly dated after her divorce from Depp, wouldn’t be testifying within the trial, in response to CNN.

This is the place we going into extra element, with Depp and Heard’s testimonies. You might also have seen some clips/articles of the precise incidents on social media.

Depp’s testimony

On day 5 of the trial, Depp took the stand and admitted that he and Heard argued throughout the relationship, however maintained that he has by no means hit her or any girl in his life.

He apologised for the vulgar language within the textual content messages despatched about Heard, including that he has a darkish sense of humour and typically use humour to cope with ache.

The actor admitted to utilizing medicine as “self-medication” and mentioned the small print about his substance abuse had been “grossly embellished” in courtroom and most of it was “plainly false”.

Depp continued giving testimony on day 6, sharing that Heard’s “pure hatred” for him usually “escalate[d] into violence” that begins with a slap, shove, “throwing a TV distant at [his] head] or a “glass of wine in [his] face”.

Addressing the primary incident of alleged home violence in early 2013 when Heard laughed at Depp’s “Wino Ceaselessly” tattoo that was modified after his break-up with Winona Ryder, Depp denied putting Heard and reiterated that he has by no means struck a girl in his life.

Depp then accused Heard of throwing a vodka bottle at him, which shattered, and he subsequently seen the tip of his finger was severed.

He admitted that in his state of shock, he had written “little reminders” of Heard’s alleged lies in blood on the partitions.

He additionally revealed that he sustained a bruise on his face after receiving a “sort of a roundhouse punch” from Heard a few weeks after the finger damage.

Depp additionally mentioned that Heard’s op-ed article was “clearly” about him and their relationship even when he wasn’t explicitly talked about by title.

On day 7 of the trial, Heard’s lawyer offered emails and textual content messages with the vulgar content material that Depp had despatched to Heard, in addition to his mates, household, and associates.

Depp defended certainly one of them as a reference to a Monty Python scene—certainly one of Depp’s favorite films—and later admitted that he was not happy with the language he utilized in anger.

Messages by which Depp mentioned drug use and a photograph of cocaine on a desk have been additionally offered in courtroom.

A video clip secretly filmed by Heard displaying Depp smashing and kicking kitchen cupboards at his dwelling in addition to audio clips of conversations have been additionally performed in courtroom, together with one whereby Depp may very well be heard saying:

“I turn into irrational while you’re doing films. I turn into jealous and f*cking loopy and peculiar… We struggle lots.”

Extra audio recordings have been performed on day 8 the place Depp may very well be heard trying to disentangle himself from the state of affairs whereas Heard continued the argument.

In a single recording, Depp may very well be heard saying, “Strolling away is critical… In any other case it is simply going to be a massacre… It is simply not value it.”

Depp additionally clarified that he didn’t throw a cigarette at Heard, or put it out on her.

Heard’s testimony

Heard began giving her testimony on day 14 of the trial.

Here’s a non-exhaustive listing of claims by the actress:

• Depp grew to become controlling of their relationship, and allegedly first hit her over the remark she made about his tattoo. In accordance with Heard, she returned a number of days later after Depp apologised and mentioned he’d somewhat reduce his hand off than lay it on her.
• Depp allegedly made her really feel “actually soiled to be an actor” and accused her of “wh*ring” herself out.
• He allegedly “backhanded” her whereas carrying numerous rings such that her “lip went into [her] tooth”.
• He allegedly held her on the ground whereas screaming at her and she or he couldn’t keep in mind “what number of instances he hit [her] within the face.”
• Depp had allegedly forcibly carried out a physique cavity search on her after accusing her of hiding his medicine.
• Depp reportedly dragged her alongside the ground by her hair in December 2015, which left her with a busted lip, bruising, and hair torn from her scalp.
• He allegedly pummelled her and pounded the again of her head along with his fist.
• Depp allegedly kicked her to the bottom throughout a personal flight between Bostom and Los Angeles, because of his jealousy over her co-star James Franco in “The Adderall Diaries”.
• Depp allegedly tried to regulate her performing profession such that she solely accepted elements that required minimal make-up and no romantic scenes.
• Depp allegedly accused her of getting an affair with “Danish Woman” co-star Eddie Redmayne.
• Depp allegedly threatened to chop her face with a damaged bottle and raped her with a bottle.

As well as, Heard denied leaving fecal matter on their mattress after they have been married, which Depp insisted was carried out by Heard or her mates as a prank.

Heard additionally described the impression of being referred to as “a hoax” and “faux” by Depp’s lawyer, which included:

• Being erased from a L’Oreal magnificence marketing campaign
• Being dropped from tv sequence “The Stand”
• Having a considerably lowered position in “Aquaman”

A lot of individuals, together with mates, household, in addition to present and ex-employees of the previous couple, have additionally testified within the trial.

The trial resumes on Could 23.

Learn extra

High photos by Jim Lo Scalzo/ POOL/POOL/AFP by way of Getty Pictures and Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/AFP by way of Getty Pictures.