Johnny Depp defamation lawsuit
Amber Heard’s shocking statements and key revelations from week four
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in court
© Jim Lo Scalzo / Picture Alliance
In the fourth week of the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, the actress herself took the witness stand.
It was the moment many have been waiting for: During week four of the defamation trial in Fairfax, Virginia, Amber Heard herself took the witness stand and testified about her experience with Johnny Depp. But she wasn’t the only person on the witness stand. A summary of what happened.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard argue in court
Among the other witnesses in court were a security guard for Depp, a former nurse from Heard, and Michael Spindler, an accountant for Johnny Depp. Also speaking were the actor’s agent Jack Whigham, entertainment attorney Richard Marks and psychologist Dr. DawnHughes.
After a psychologist hired by Depp’s team testified in week three and found Amber Heard to have borderline personality disorder, Hughes opened up about the actress’ mental state. Hughes outlined disturbing situations that Amber Heard brought to her during her marriage to Johnny Depp. The jury spoke of sexual abuse, emotional dependency and physical violence.
Meanwhile, Agent Whigham testified that Johnny Depp lost about $22.5 million when the Pirates of the Caribbean movies ended. Attorney Richard Marks said Amber Heard’s Washington Post article in which she wrote about domestic violence was instrumental in Depp’s descent from Hollywood.
Amber Heard on the witness stand
Amber Heard’s statements were eagerly awaited. Questioned by her lawyer Elaine Bredehoft, the “Aquaman” actress traced the beginnings of her time in Hollywood. How she only earned little money at the time and changed on the bus to auditions. She also described how she met Johnny Depp after the casting for his film project “The Rum Diary” and how it crackled during the shooting in Puerto Rico.
Heard specifically addressed the jury. Johnny Depp, meanwhile, didn’t look at his ex-wife, stared spellbound at his notes, or occasionally turned to his lawyer. About what is believed to be the first violent incident in their relationship, Heard said: “I will never forget it, it changed my life.” Depp is said to have slapped her three times in the face for asking about his upper arm tattoo.
“He seemed so sorry but I couldn’t forgive him because that means it’s going to happen again. I got up, walked to my car and didn’t say a word,” she recalled. In their years together, drugs were often the trigger for Depp’s violent escapades, Amber Heard reported. In addition, he was enormously jealous, she said, recalling a group vacation with friends at a trailer park. There, the couple consumed drugs with their friends, Heard himself said that she ate mushrooms. When a friend put her head on Heard’s shoulder, Depp is said to have freaked out and twisted the friend’s wrist. Back in her trailer, the situation escalated.
drug escapades and violence
Depp was looking for his cocaine, Heard claimed, and allegedly accused her of hiding it. “He started feeling me, he ripped my dress. He grabs my breasts, he touches my thighs, he rips my underwear off, and then he does a strip search. He said he was looking for his cocaine, his coke,” she said. “He just stuck his fingers inside me. I just stood there staring at the stupid light, I didn’t know what to do. He twisted his fingers around. I didn’t stop him or anything,” she sobbed. During the course of their relationship, Depp was repeatedly violent, hit, pushed and threatened her, Heard said during the survey.
On the second day of her testimony, the actress revealed more details. In 2014, Depp attacked her on a plane under the influence of drugs when she wanted to change seats during an argument: “I can feel this boot on my back. He just kicked me in the back. I fell on the ground,” said Heard, who answered questions from her lawyer for several hours on Thursday and kept fighting back tears. Heard’s legal team showed photos of the actress, for example with a bruise on her upper arm.
“Presentation of her life”
She also testified that Depp was pathologically jealous. A particular thorn in his side was fellow actor James Franco, with whom Amber Heard had worked on a film.
Following Heard’s statements, Johnny Depp’s team released a statement indirectly accusing the 36-year-old of lying. “As Mr. Depp’s attorneys correctly predicted in their opening statements last month, Ms. Heard has indeed provided ‘the vision of her life’ in her direct questioning,” a rep for the actor told People magazine. After a pause in the trial, Amber Heard will return to court on May 16 with additional testimony.
source: “people”