Johnny Depp-Amber Heard court verdict: seven-person jury finds in favour of Depp, awards $15 million

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp is not a "wife beater" and allegations of violence made by his ex-wife Amber Heard are "complete lies", the High Court has been told by his lawyers on the first day of a libel trial.

The Hollywood star is suing The Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an article published in April 2018 which referred to "overwhelming evidence" that he attacked Heard during their relationship - claims which he has strenuously denied.

Both he and Heard are at London's High Court today, having arrived separately wearing scarves as face masks.

Depp's legal team has said it is "not a case about money" but about "vindication", with the star wanting to "clear his reputation" following the claims.

They have also argued that Heard, 34, has "invented these stories of serious violence" and that she was the "abuser" in the relationship.

However, lawyers for News Group Newspapers have told the court that The Sun's description of Depp was "entirely accurate and truthful".

Appearing as the first witness, Depp was asked about the allegations of abuse, and also about his drug-taking and relationships with famous figures such as writer Hunter S Thompson, musicians Keith Richards and Marilyn Manson, and fellow actor Paul Bettany.

to a "full-scale attack" on Depp as a "wife beater" with "defamatory allegations of the utmost seriousness".

Mr Sherborne said: "The author deploys a panoply of cultural and topical references - namely the #MeToo movement, the Time's Up movement and the disgraced film mogul and serial abuser of women Harvey Weinstein - in order to convey the seriousness of what the claimant is alleged to have done.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard arrive at the "3 Days To Kill" at ArcLight Cinemas on February 12, 2014 in Hollywood, California.

"They are allegations which the claimant absolutely denies, and which, at the time of publication, he had already publicly denied."

Mr Sherborne continued: "The claimant's position is clear - Ms Heard's allegations are complete lies.

"The claimant was not violent towards Ms Heard, it was she who was violent to him."

The main allegations of domestic violence the case is centred on were summarised by Mr Sherborne.

"He (Depp) is not and never has been a wife beater," he said.

"Indeed, he says that it was Ms Heard who was the one who started physical fights, who punched or hit him (and there was little he could really do to stop this); she was the abuser, not him."

The barrister said that evidence will be presented to the court which supports this claim.

Speaking about The Sun's article, written by Mr Wootton, he said it "repeated Ms Heard's allegations, referring to what he described as 'overwhelming evidence' in her favour, in an obvious attempt to confirm categorically in the readers' minds, several million readers' minds, that these appalling and serious allegations of criminality were true".

Later in the trial, the court is expected to hear evidence by video-link from actresses Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder, former partners of Depp who both say he was never violent towards them, as well as Ms Heard's friends, who claim they witnessed abuse by the star.

Mr Sherborne said the "starkly contrasting nature of the evidence" given by Depp and Heard is "one of the defining features of this case" and that there is "no real room for a middle ground here".

He continued: "One side is plainly lying, and to an extraordinary extent.

"Either Ms Heard's allegations are true, in all their various forms now, and therefore Mr Depp has chosen to launch and pursue a lengthy libel claim despite knowing that the article which forms the subject matter of the claim is completely true.

"Or, as we say, Ms Heard has concocted them, embellishing and adding to them over the years... which means that Mr Depp is right in seeking vindication before this court from a hugely influential newspaper that sought to act as judge (and jury) by endorsing and convicting him in relation to Ms Heard's allegations, not to mention demanding an end to his career as the punishment he supposedly deserved.

"You might be forgiven for wondering why would Mr Depp put himself through all of this process otherwise, ie if he were in fact guilty.

"That is the determination for this court. Mr Depp is either guilty of being a wife beater for having assaulted his ex-wife on numerous occasions, causing the most appalling injuries, or he has been very seriously and wrongly accused."

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...ard-allegations-are-lies-court-hears-12023046

 

[The Viper]

Johnny Depp: I gave 13-year-old daughter Lily-Rose cannabis because it was 'trustworthy and good quality'

Johnny Depp supplied cannabis to his 13-year-old daughter when she wanted to try the drug for the first time and told the High Court he believes he was being a “responsible parent”.

The film star said he did not want his teenage daughter smoking marijuana in an uncontrolled environment and “going into some sort of paranoid tailspin”, and knew that his own stash was “trustworthy”.

He told the High Court he supplied some of his own drugs to Lily-Rose Depp, after discussing the decision with her mother, his ex Vanessa Paradis.

Questioned about the incident during his libel trial against The Sun this afternoon, Mr Depp denied “encouraging” his daughter’s use of cannabis and said he had been “involved in” the decision.

“My daughter was 13-years-old and as we all know at 11, 12, and 13-years-old when you go to a high school party you are approached by people who will want to give you drink because they are drinking at 12 and 13, doing cocaine at 12 and 13, and smoking marijuana at 12 and 13, doing ecstasy and doing many many drugs”, he said.

“My daughter was at a party and someone passed the joint to her. She was just 12 and she said she didn’t know what to do.

“I said ‘listen sweetheart, if you are at a party and someone hands you the joint, take the joint from the person and pass it to the next person. Please don’t experiment with drugs with people you don’t know’.”

He said he feared the drugs could be laced with other substances, and told the teenager: “Please, please, when you are really at the moment in your life when you are passed the joint and you really want to try it, I said please do me the honour of coming to me when you are ready, and you really feel you are ready.

“I don’t want your first experience to be with people you don’t know, taking things you don’t know, that you don’t trust.

“It’s a safety issue, it’s a father worried about his daughter in this kind of situation, when she came and said ‘we are ready’.

“I know the most important thing for a child if you are going to do something like that - I would rather have them be honest with me and me be honest with them, so she doesn’t go out there and do things and hide them from me.

“I want her to trust me. If my daughter says she was ready, she was ready. I wanted to make sure the settings were perfection, put on family TV, fill the refrigerator with ice cream, fill the freezer, make a situation where the experience is as pleasant as possible.

“I don’t want a 13-year-old going into some sort of paranoid tailspin. I knew the marijuana I had myself, that I smoked myself, is trustworthy and good quality.”

Depp, who told the court he has tried most drugs but not ketamine, said he recognised that marijuana has its dangers.

Addressing barrister Sasha Wass QC directly, he added: “If this is wrong in your eyes, I appreciate what you think but I was raising a daughter and I was being a responsible parents so far as I’m concerned.”

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/...=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1594141447

 

[MenInG]

Claims that Johnny Depp was violent towards ex-wife Amber Heard are "complete lies", his lawyers have told the High Court.

The actor is suing the publisher of the Sun - News Group Newspapers (NGN) - and executive editor Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that referred to him as a "wife beater".

Mr Depp has strenuously denied that he was violent towards Ms Heard.

But NGN lawyers said the "wife beater" description was "entirely accurate".

Both Mr Depp and Ms Heard were in court in London on Tuesday morning.

In a written outline of the Hollywood star's case, his barrister, David Sherborne, said the article made "defamatory allegations of the utmost seriousness" against Mr Depp, accusing him of committing serious assaults on Ms Heard and "inflicting such serious injuries that she feared for her life".

Mr Sherborne said: "The articles amount to a full-scale attack on the claimant as a 'wife beater', guilty of the most horrendous physical abuse."

He added: "The claimant's position is clear - Ms Heard's allegations are complete lies.

"The claimant was not violent towards Ms Heard, it was she who was violent to him."

During a day of cross-examination by Sasha Wass QC, barrister for NGN, she argued there was a "nasty" side to Mr Depp's character.

She later suggested Mr Depp "regularly engaged in destructive and violent behaviour", which the actor denied.

The court was shown a video, recorded by Ms Heard without Mr Depp's knowledge, in which he was shown pacing around a room, swearing and kicking a cabinet.

Asked by Ms Wass if he would agree he was violent in the clip, Mr Depp replied: "I was violent with some cupboards."

He added: "Clearly, I wasn't in the best state of mind."

Mr Depp was also questioned about his use of drugs and said there had been "an internal fight in me in terms of alcohol and drugs and other numbing agents throughout my life, from the age of 11", when he first took one of his mother's "nerve pills".

As part of its defence, NGN alleges Mr Depp was "controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs".

In witness statements filed as part of the case, Mr Depp said he has never abused Ms Heard, or any other woman, in his life and alleged Ms Heard was "calculating", "sociopathic" and "a narcissist".

"I am now convinced that she came into my life to take from me anything worth taking, and then destroy what remained of it," he said.

Mr Depp said the pair sought the help of a marriage counsellor who he says confirmed to him that Ms Heard had a "borderline, toxic narcissistic personality disorder and is a sociopath".

In his witness statements he also accused Ms Heard of repeatedly punching him in the face and severing his finger by throwing a vodka bottle at him.

NGN previously tried to have the case thrown out, but Mr Justice Nicol ruled last week the case could go ahead.

The case arose out of the publication of an article on the Sun's website headlined: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?"

The Sun's original article related to allegations made by the actress, who was married to the Pirates of the Caribbean star from 2015 to 2017.

Witnesses including Mr Depp's former partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder are expected to give evidence via video link, and the trial is expected to last for three weeks.

Mr Depp, 57, has been Oscar and Bafta-nominated and won a Golden Globe in 2008 for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He married the Aquaman and The Danish Girl actress, now 34, in February 2015, but she filed for divorce after 15 months.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53308774

 

[Robert]

Celebratory gossip. Not my business, only theirs.

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp sent texts referring to his ex-wife Amber Heard as "a witch" and saying "let's burn Amber", the High Court has been told during the second day of a high-profile libel action against The Sun newspaper.

The actor, 57, is back giving evidence and the court has heard more details about his volatile relationship with Heard, whom he met on the set of 2011 comedy The Rum Diary.

In court today, Depp also denied slapping Heard after she laughed at his "Wino Forever" tattoo - famously changed from "Winona Forever" after his break-up with actress Winona Ryder - as he faced further questioning.

It was also alleged that he held Heard's little dog, Pistol, a teacup Yorkshire terrier, out the window of a moving car and joked about putting the pet in the microwave.

Depp is suing The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN), and executive editor Dan Wootton, over an article published in 2018 that labelled him a "wife beater".

He strenuously denies allegations of abusing Heard.

Yesterday, the court heard extraordinary details about their relationship, with both stars accusing each other of violence.

Details of his text messages in a conversation with actor Paul Bettany were read out in court today, including one in which they both called Heard, 34, a "witch", and one in which Depp wrote: "Let's burn Amber."

Speaking about the messages, Depp told the court he was "resentful" of the fact that Heard tried to stop him drinking and taking drugs.

Questioned by Sasha Wass QC, for NGN, about the alleged slapping in March 2013, he denied that he had slapped Heard three times during a period when he had "fallen off the wagon", after she made a joke about the tattoo on his arm.

"That is not true, you are mistaken," Depp told the court.

"Do you accept that Ms Heard was making a joke out of your tattoo, 'Wino Forever'?" Ms Wass asked.

"I don't recall any conversation," Depp replied.

"I suggest that that provoked disappointment, firstly, in you, and then anger in you, but you don't remember," Ms Wass said.

Depp replied: "I don't recall any argument about any of my tattoos."

Ms Wass said: "You then, Mr Depp, slapped Ms Heard across the face."

The actor responded: "That is not correct, it's untrue. It didn't happen."

Ms Wass said: "You slapped her more than once, because after you slapped her the first time, she didn't react, she just eyeballed you, she just stared at you, and that made you more angry and you slapped her again."

Depp answered: "That is patently untrue."

The barrister then put it to Depp that he "broke down" after coming to his senses, to which he said: "I didn't hit Ms Heard."

Answering questions about the allegations concerning the dog, Depp said he would never harm an animal.

Heard alleges that Depp first hit her in early 2013. This claim is one of 14 separate allegations of domestic violence, all denied by Depp, which NGN is using in its defence.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...a-witch-in-text-messages-court-hears-12024026

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp has denied he slapped ex-wife Amber Heard after she laughed at one of his tattoos, as he appeared at a hearing at London's High Court.

He accused Ms Heard of "building a dossier" against him after the court heard she wrote an email describing him as a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde character.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun newspaper over an article that referred to him as a "wife beater".

The Sun has defended the accuracy of its story.

It had referred to "overwhelming evidence" that Mr Depp attacked Ms Heard, 34, during their relationship - which he strenuously denies.

Mr Depp is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor Dan Wootton over the article, published in 2018.

Ms Heard claims that Mr Depp first hit her in early 2013 - one of 14 separate allegations of domestic violence, all denied by Mr Depp, which are being relied on by NGN in their defence.

'Wino Forever'
On the second day of the hearing, NGN's lawyer Sasha Wass QC began by asking Mr Depp about an alleged incident in March 2013 involving one of his tattoos which reads "Wino Forever".

It had originally said "Winona Forever" in reference to his relationship with actress Winona Ryder, but he had changed it when they split in 1993.

Ms Wass said Ms Heard had made a joke out of the tattoo at a time when he was drinking heavily after about 160 days of sobriety.

Mr Depp replied: "I don't recall any conversation."

Ms Wass said the actor then slapped his ex-wife across the face. She added: "You slapped her more than once, because after you slapped her the first time, she didn't react, she just eyeballed you, she just stared at you, and that made you more angry and you slapped her again."

Mr Depp answered: "That is patently untrue." When he was told he had slapped her three times in total, Mr Depp said: "I'm sorry but that is not true, you are mistaken."

The barrister then put it to Mr Depp that he "broke down" after coming to his senses and realising what he had done, to which he said: "I didn't hit Ms Heard."

'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'
The High Court also heard details of the email Ms Heard wrote to the actor - but never sent - saying he lived "in a world of enablers".

It it, she said: "It's like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Half of you, I love. Madly. The other half scares me."

She wrote that she knew she was "dealing with the monster" when he had been drinking.

In response, Mr Depp, 57, said the "dossier" was being built up from early on "that appears to be an insurance policy for later".

He also agreed he would describe the allegation he was a serial domestic abuser as a "hoax", adding the claims were "patently untrue".

'I can be jealous'
The court heard about another alleged incident that month when Ms Heard claims Mr Depp hit her several times after an argument about a painting by her ex-partner, Tasya van Ree, which was hanging in her Los Angeles home.

Ms Wass read out part of Mr Depp's witness statement in which he said he had asked Ms Heard to remove the painting "as a courtesy" to him.

He said she hadn't taken it down it but denied allegations put to him by Ms Wass that he tried to remove the painting and to set fire to it, saying each time they were "not true".

Mr Depp was asked whether he would describe himself as jealous. He responded: "I am, yes. I can be jealous."

Ms Wass also asked about an incident in which Ms Heard's dog "had eaten some hash, some cannabis - quite a lot".

The actor replied: "The puppy got a hold of a little ball of hashish and just scooped it up before I could get to it."

The court has also heard about an alleged incident in which it is claimed Mr Depp held another of Ms Heard's dogs out of a car window, which he dismissed as "utter falsity".

On the first day of the libel case the court heard that Mr Depp denied being violent towards his ex-wife and accused Ms Heard of being violent towards him.

NGN previously tried to have the case thrown out, but Mr Justice Nicol ruled last week the case could go ahead.

The case arose out of the publication of an article on the Sun's website headlined: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?"

The Sun's original article related to allegations made by the actress, who was married to the Pirates of the Caribbean star from 2015 to 2017.

Witnesses including Mr Depp's former partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder are expected to give evidence via video link, and the hearing is expected to last for three weeks.

Mr Depp, has been Oscar and Bafta-nominated and won a Golden Globe in 2008 for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53332148

 

[Firebat]

Johnny Depp accuses Amber Heard of misleading psychiatrist

Johnny Depp has accused his ex-wife Amber Heard of misleading a psychiatrist about their relationship, as his libel claim against the Sun newspaper continued.

The actor told the High Court Ms Heard, 34, told "porkie pies" suggesting he was threatened by her career.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing over a Sun article that said he was a "wife beater".

The Sun is defending the accuracy of its story by arguing it is true.

The April 2018 piece by journalist Dan Wootton reported Mr Depp's casting in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise.

Mr Depp's lawyers have said the article made "defamatory allegations of the utmost seriousness", accusing him of committing serious assaults on Ms Heard and "inflicting such serious injuries that she feared for her life".

In the third day of proceedings at London's High Court on Thursday, Sasha Wass QC, representing Sun publisher News Group Newspapers, focussed on a detox trip Mr Depp and Ms Heard took to his private island in the Bahamas in August 2014.

The trip is one of 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence, all denied by Mr Depp, relied on by NGN in their defence against the actor's libel claim.

Mr Depp was asked during cross-examination if he "hit and pushed" Ms Heard, to which he said: "I didn't push Ms Heard or attack her in any way, as certainly I was not in any condition to do so."

He added that he "was in no physical condition to push anyone".

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53347044

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp decided to end his marriage with Amber Heard after she allegedly defecated in their bed, a court has heard.

During another day of lurid evidence at the Hollywood star's high-profile libel action against The Sun, the court in London heard more details about "the defecation incident" at their LA penthouse.

Depp rejected assertions from Sasha Wass QC, representing News Group Newspapers, that it was Boo, one of the couple's two Yorkshire terriers, who "had problems with her toilet habits" and had pooed on the bed.

He had previously told the court he thought Heard "or possibly one of her friends" was responsible, with Heard allegedly describing it as "just a harmless prank".

Mr Depp said on Friday the dogs "were very well trained", adding that it was "a mystery" who defecated in the bed "and it was not left by a three or four-pound dog".

Ms Wass continued that Mr Depp was later sent photographs of the faeces, which the actor found "hilarious".

He said in a text: "Not sure I've laughed that hard for years. At least the photos are hilarious."

Ms Wass added: "There were jokes like 'Amber ****', 'Amber in the dumps' going on."

Mr Depp replied: "It was one of the most absurd, unexpected statements that I have ever witnessed in my life so, yes, initially I did laugh because it was so strange."

Asked if he accused Ms Heard's friends of defecating in the bed, Depp replied: "I was convinced that it was either Ms Heard herself or one of her cohort involved in leaving human faeces on the bed."

Depp said in his witness statement that after the April 2016 incident, Heard "repeatedly tried to contact me either directly or through her sister".

He said: "I wasn't in a mindset - I didn't want anything to do with her any more."

Mr Depp said he thought the "defecation incident" was "a fitting end to the relationship".

Depp and Heard met in 2011 and began living together in 2012, before marrying in Los Angeles in February 2015. They split in May 2016.

Depp is suing The Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), after an article referred to "overwhelming evidence" that he attacked Heard during their relationship.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star has strenuously denied being a "wife beater" and accused Heard of being the abuser in their marriage.

The hearing continues.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...y-defecated-in-their-bed-court-hears-12025641

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp has told the High Court he lost $650m when former business managers "stole" his money.

On his final day of giving evidence at his libel case against The Sun, the actor denied being violent towards ex-wife Amber Heard during their honeymoon, at Thanksgiving and after her 30th birthday party.

As he has done throughout the trial, Depp accused Heard of being "the aggressor" - and told the court details of a "bad meeting" about his finances which took place before the birthday party in April 2016.

The star's barrister, David Sherborne, brought up an alleged argument at the couple's LA penthouse.

"I was in the early stage of learning from my recently acquired new business manager that the former business managers had [taken] quite a lot of my money," the actor told the court. "They had stolen my money."

Mr Sherborne asked: "How much money had they taken from you?"

Depp responded: "It was put to me this way, because I had no idea about money or amounts of money.

"Since Pirates (Of The Caribbean) 2 and 3, I had - and this is ludicrous to have to state, it's quite embarrassing - apparently I had made 650 million US dollars (£510m) and when I sacked them, for the right reasons, I had not only lost 650 million dollars, but I was 100 million dollars in the hole because they (the previous business managers) had not paid the government my taxes for 17 years."

The court also heard that Depp contracted a superbug after his finger was severed in an incident in Australia in March 2015, which the actor has already been questioned about during the hearing.

The star said he "ended up getting MRSA" after having surgery to put a pin in a broken bone in his finger, with the injury occurring, he says, after Heard threw a bottle at him. She denies this claim.

Depp denied an alleged incident of domestic violence against Heard after they returned from Australia, saying he would not have been able to attack her because he was wearing a cast with "a little dinosaur" on it at the time.

He said he had decided that if he was going to have to wear one he should have the children's "wraparound" on it as it was "more fun".

A picture from Johnny Depp's lawyers show him in hospital after Amber Heard allegedly severed his finger with a vodka bottle.

Depp was said to have grabbed Heard by the hair with one hand and hit her "repeatedly in the head with the other".

His lawyer said: "And with that cast on, would you have been able to grab her hair with one hand and punch her repeatedly with the other?"

"No, Sir," Depp replied.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...er-business-managers-stole-his-money-12027568

 

[The Viper]

Johnny Depp libel trial: Ice cream photo emerges as ex-wife likened to Mike Tyson

Spoiler

Another photo showing Johnny Depp's wild lifestyle has been shown during his libel trial against The Sun - as his ex-wife Amber Heard was likened to boxer Mike Tyson.

In his final day of giving evidence at the High Court, Depp claimed he lost $650m when former business managers "stole" his money.

He also denied allegations of violence towards ex-wife Amber Heard during their honeymoon, at Thanksgiving in 2015 and after her 30th birthday party in 2016.

Later in the day, the court heard more about Depp's wild lifestyle and was shown a photo taken by Heard as evidence of a night she thought the actor would not remember - showing the star asleep, holding a melting ice cream.

Here are some of the key moments from day five in court

Depp, 57, accused Heard, 34, of throwing a "haymaker" punch at him during a row after her 30th birthday party, hours after he had learned during a "bad" business meeting that he had lost $650m (£514m)

The actor said that "it seemed like everything she would accuse me of was something that she had done to me"

Speaking about an incident in Australia in which he suffered serious injuries to a finger, he told the court he also contracted superbug MRSA afterwards

Stephen Deuters, European president of the actor's production company, Infinitum Nihil, and his former assistant, said he never saw Heard with injuries and claimed it was the actress who subjected Depp to "years of abuse"

Mr Deuters described Heard as a "sociopathic show pony", a "Machiavellian overlord" and a "talentless ****" in a text after she and Depp split up

Depp's employee Stephen Deuters gave evidence in the afternoon, backing claims made by the actor that it was Heard who was the "abuser" in the couple's relationship.

In an email to Depp, Mr Deuters referred to Heard as "Mike Tyson". He told the court this was due to the type of relationship the couple had.

As he has done throughout the trial, Depp again accused Heard of being "the aggressor" during their relationship.

The star's barrister, David Sherborne, asked for his account of an alleged argument at the couple's LA penthouse after the actress's party, to which Depp gave details about a "bad meeting" he had been to about his finances that took place beforehand.

"I was in the early stage of learning from my recently acquired new business manager that the former business managers had [taken] quite a lot of my money," the actor told the court. "They had stolen my money."

Mr Sherborne asked: "How much money had they taken from you?"

Depp responded: "It was put to me this way, because I had no idea about money or amounts of money.

"Since Pirates (Of The Caribbean) 2 and 3, I had - and this is ludicrous to have to state, it's quite embarrassing - apparently I had made $650m and when I sacked them, for the right reasons, I had not only lost $650m dollars, but I was $100m in the hole because they (the previous business managers) had not paid the government my taxes for 17 years."

The court also heard that Depp contracted a superbug after his finger was sliced open in an incident in Australia in March 2015, which the actor has already been questioned about during the hearing.

The star said he "ended up getting MRSA" after having surgery to put a pin in a broken bone in his finger, with the injury occurring, he says, after Heard threw a bottle at him. She denies this claim.

Depp denied an alleged incident of domestic violence against Heard after they returned from Australia, saying he would not have been able to attack her because he was wearing a cast with "a little dinosaur" on it at the time.

He said he had decided that if he was going to have to wear one he should have the children's "wraparound" on it as it was "more fun".

Depp was said to have grabbed Heard by the hair with one hand and hit her "repeatedly in the head with the other".

His lawyer said: "And with that cast on, would you have been able to grab her hair with one hand and punch her repeatedly with the other?"

"No, sir," Depp replied.

After more than four intense days on the witness stand, Depp has now finished giving evidence.

The actor is suing The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor Dan Wootton over an article published in April 2018, which labelled him a "wife beater". NGN is defending the article as true.

He is accused of attacking Heard, 34, throughout their relationship - allegations he strenuously denies.

The actor has been questioned about 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence, as well as his Hollywood lifestyle, past relationships with stars including Vanessa Paradis, Winona Ryder and Kate Moss - with Paradis and Ryder set to give evidence this week - and his well-documented use of drink and drugs.

On Monday afternoon, Mr Deuters followed Depp to answer questions in the witness box.

In his written statement, he said that during the period in which Mr Depp is alleged to have been abusive, he saw Ms Heard on many occasions.

"At no point did Ms Heard ever mention any physical abuse and I never saw evidence of any injury to Ms Heard," he said.

Mr Deuters continued: "In contrast, Mr Depp told me on multiple occasions that Ms Heard had attacked him or abused him physically and verbally."

In court, he also gave his account of what has been called "the Boston plane incident" in May 2014, when he was with Depp and Heard during a private flight from Boston to LA. She alleges that he was abusive.

In his statement, Mr Deuters said it was Heard who was "speaking at Mr Depp in an increasingly aggressive manner whilst he was focused on his notebooks, within which he often wrote or drew when flying".

He said he saw Heard "gesticulating" and was "haranguing" Depp, "who did not engage with the abuse he was receiving".

The actor went to the bathroom for the remainder of the flight - a "common theme on the multiple times when Mr Depp was abused by Ms Heard - he would take himself away from the situation, often to a bathroom, and lock himself out harm's way", Mr Deuters said.

Heard is set to give evidence later this week or next.

The trial continues.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...er-business-managers-stole-his-money-12027568

 

[MenInG]

A member of Johnny Depp's security team has told the High Court he was contacted to "extract the boss" from an argument with Amber Heard in Australia, and that the star was "panicking" as his finger had been sliced open.

Malcolm Connolly, who has worked for the Hollywood star and his family for about 16 years, gave evidence on day six of the actor's high-profile libel action against the publishers of The Sun.

He told the court in London he never saw Depp, 57, hitting Heard, and that he would never tolerate any man striking a woman, even if he was "the Pope".

The court also heard from Tara Roberts, who has worked for Depp as the estate manager on his island in the Bahamas since December 2008, and Samantha McMillen, his stylist of around 18 years. Both described Depp as "kind".

Mr Connolly was asked about what Heard, 34, has described as a "three-day hostage situation" in Australia in March 2015. It is one of 14 allegations of violent behaviour against Depp, who has previously told the court his finger was wounded during that incident when his then wife threw a vodka bottle at him.

Giving evidence, Mr Connolly said that when he arrived at the rented house the couple were staying in, while Depp was filming a Pirates Of The Caribbean film in Australia, he could hear a "ruckus" and the actor was in a state of distress.

In his witness statement, Mr Connolly said that Depp told him: "Look at my finger.

"She's cut my f***ing finger off. She's smashed my hand with a vodka bottle."

Mr Connolly said Depp also told him that Heard had put a cigarette out on his face, and confirmed he saw a mark.

He said he did not see any injuries on the actress.

Mr Connolly said he got to the property at about 1.30pm after receiving an urgent call from the late Jerry Judge, the head of Depp's security team at the time, who told him: "Malcolm, get in the car, extract the boss from the situation."

He continued: "I could hear the ruckus inside. I opened the door, which wasn't locked, and saw Johnny in the foyer area of the house."

The security guard said that Depp and Heard were "screaming at each other".

When Mr Connolly got Depp out of the house, he said: "I had the car door open and when we were outside Johnny said to me words to the effect of, 'Look at my finger. She's cut my f***ing finger off. She's smashed my hand with a vodka bottle'.

"I saw his finger and it was a mess."

In his statement, Mr Connolly said Heard came close to the car and said something like: "Are you just going to leave it like this, you f***ing coward?"

Mr Connolly denied a suggestion in court that he might have been "pressured to lie and come on Johnny's side" when giving his evidence.

He said he does not "depend" on the actor for his income.

Later in the hearing, Ms Roberts - who described Depp as "an unusually kind man" - was asked about two alleged incidents in the Bahamas.

One incident on the actor's island in August 2014 is one of the 14 allegations against the actor, who was there at that time to "cure his dependence on painkillers" - although Heard claims he was trying to give up other drugs, too.

The court released footage recorded by Amber Heard, appearing to show Johnny Depp swearing and banging cupboards.

Footage of Depp swearing and banging cupboards, recorded by Heard, was shown in court again today
She alleges that he slapped, kicked and grabbed her by the hair during the trip.

Appearing via video-link, Ms Roberts told the court she had never seen the actor being violent towards Heard.

She also responded to the suggestion that she might be dependent on Depp for her livelihood, saying: "No... I have other sources of income."

In her witness statement, Ms Roberts claimed Heard shouted insults at Depp, calling him "washed up" and "fat", during a separate visit to the island in December 2015.

She also said she had seen a "red, swelling gash" on the actor's nose, and alleged he had told her that the actress had thrown a can of lacquer thinner into his face.

The estate manager said in her statement that she "observed" during that trip that Heard was "a 'thrower', someone who threw projectiles".

She alleged she saw Heard "lunge violently at Johnny, pull his hair, and commit other aggressive physical acts against him".

In her statement, Ms Roberts said Depp responded to "verbal attacks" by Heard by saying "go away" and "just leave me alone".

Appearing as a witness via video-link in the afternoon, Hollywood-based stylist Ms McMillen told the court she has worked for Depp since 2002, and worked as a stylist for Heard too while they were in a relationship.

Ms McMillen was asked about an alleged incident of violence in December 2015. The court heard the stylist saw Heard the following day but did not notice any injuries.

Asked by Sasha Wass, representing The Sun, if there was a "conflict" as Ms McMillen's might loyalties lie with Depp due to their long-standing working relationship, the stylist said: "I was close with [Heard] at the time.

"I don't know what you are insinuating but I would not perjure myself for anyone. I'm obviously loyal because [Depp's] kind and loyal back, but without any other reason than that."

The alleged violent incident is said to have happened the night before Heard appeared on James Corden's The Late Late Show.

Ms McMillen claims that Heard said to her after recording the programme: "Can you believe I just did that show with two black eyes?"

However, the stylist said: "I never noticed anything like that when I saw her. I never noticed her having two black eyes."

She said she saw Heard at close range and wearing no make-up, and did not see any injuries.

After being shown pictures of the actress's alleged injuries, Ms McMillen said her statement and recollection of seeing Heard at that time remained the same.

Depp is suing The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor Dan Wootton, over an article published in April 2018, which labelled him a "wife beater".

The actor denies allegations of violence against him. The trial continues.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...stress-after-slicing-open-his-finger-12028218

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp's former estate manager has told the High Court how he found a piece of the actor's finger following a now infamous argument with Amber Heard in Australia.

Ben King, who worked for the Pirates Of The Caribbean star in Australia, London and Canada over three separate periods between 2014 and 2016, was the first witness to be called in the libel trial against The Sun on Wednesday.

He told the court that Heard was the "antagoniser" in her relationship with Depp, often "goading" and attempting to provoke the actor, and that the pair would argue "like schoolchildren".

An argument in Australia in March 2015, which has been discussed several times during the hearing so far and happened shortly after the pair got married, is one of 14 alleged incidents of violence against Depp - Heard has described it as a "three-day hostage situation".

The 57-year-old actor's finger was seriously wounded during the incident, when he claims Heard, 34, threw a bottle at him.

On Wednesday, Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun's publishers News Group Newspapers (NGN), asked Mr King about the clean-up operation in the aftermath of the argument.

The barrister asked if Mr King had the task of trying to find the missing tip of the actor's finger, to which he replied: "It was mentioned that it may be somewhere and when I was clearing up I found it."

Mr King told the court he found the piece of flesh near a bar area in the rented house the couple were staying in while Depp was filming a Pirates Of The Caribbean film.

Ms Wass said Mr King was "not qualified... to say where the injury took place or how the injury took place, you are not a pathologist".

He replied: "I'm not a pathologist... I know what I saw when I arrived at the house."

Mr King was also asked by Ms Wass if there was any "urine on the floor" in the house, to which he said there was not.

David Sherborne, representing Depp, told the court that in a previous statement given by Heard, she said Depp "took out his penis" before urinating in front of and inside the house.

Her statement went on: "He said he was trying to write my name on the carpet as he walked through the house."

Still discussing the house in Australia, Ms Wass told the court "there was a lot of paint" and graffiti on the walls, which she said read: "Billy Bob Thornton, Amber Easy."

Thornton, a former co-star of Heard's, has been brought up previously in the proceedings.

Depp has admitted writing on a mirror and walls in the house in blood from his wounded finger, as well as paint, saying: "There was an incident once where Amber lied to me about Billy Bob Thornton, so I wrote his name."

Returning to Los Angeles from Australia with Heard, Mr King noticed "some cuts on one of her arms", the court heard.

"They were enough for me to say, 'maybe you should put your sleeve down'," he said.

Mr King was then asked about another trip back to Australia in April 2015, when Depp and Heard infamously took their dogs into the country "illegally".

Mr King explained that he had returned to Australia before the pair and was already there when they arrived.

He told the court he had not been aware the dogs' entry into the country was illegal.

Pictures of them were taken at a grooming parlour and it was "only at that stage that it was apparent there was a problem with the dogs... and the photos were shown in the media?", Ms Wass said.

Mr King said in his witness statement that Ms Heard "complained about me to Mr Depp" after the photos were published, which "alerted the authorities to the fact that Ms Heard had illegally smuggled the dogs into the country".

During his time in the witness box, Ms Wass put it to Mr King that when he first worked for Depp, he was told the star was "teetotal, having been a drinker", which he said was correct.

When Mr King arrived at a house Depp and Heard were staying in in London, "there was a relatively large number of cases of wine that had been brought to the house and you found that strange," Ms Wass said.

"You reached the conclusion that Ms Heard drank two bottles of wine a night," the barrister said.

Mr King replied: "Not every night... it was a regular occurrence, but not every night."

Mr King said he did not know if Depp was clean from drugs at that time. "It was not any of my business," he told the court.

The trial continues.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...piece-of-actors-flesh-after-argument-12028905

 

[The Viper]

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard: Couple rowed 'like schoolchildren', says ex-employee

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard argued "like schoolchildren", his former estate manager has claimed.

Ben King told London's High Court that their rows started from "banal beginnings" and escalated.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun over an article that referred to him as a "wife beater" - but the newspaper maintains it was accurate.

He denies 14 domestic violence allegations which News Group Newspapers is relying on for its defence.

Mr King worked for Mr Depp for three separate periods between 2014 and 2016, in Australia, London and Vancouver, Canada.

In witness statements, Mr King said he "frequently witnessed" Ms Heard, 34, "goading and attempting to provoke" Mr Depp, who he never saw "be violent or unkind towards Ms Heard, or indeed towards anyone else".

He said: "Of what I heard of their arguments, they could start from very banal beginnings.

"On one occasion in London, I recall Ms Heard complained that Mr Depp had removed his hand from hers, and she complained along the lines of 'maybe you don't love me'."

Mr King continued: "The argument then carried on and escalated seriously. The way they argued could make them seem like schoolchildren."

Reflecting on periods in London and Australia, he said he "saw Ms Heard as the antagoniser" while Mr Depp "seemed keen to walk out of, or away from, arguments".

"I want to make clear that I did not see any violence at any time. I do not want to accuse Ms Heard of anything, but this was what I saw of the pattern of their arguments," he said.

Mr King also claimed that on a number of occasions, Mr Depp "left notes downstairs before he went to work, saying things like 'let's not do this again' and 'I love you'."

He also spoke about the couple's trip to Australia in March 2015, during which it is alleged Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard and "completely destroyed" a house in a drink and drug-fuelled rage, which the actor denies.

Mr Depp alleges his finger was severed by Ms Heard throwing a vodka bottle at him, which she denies.

Mr King said he was summoned to the house the couple were renting, where he found a "significant amount of damage" and discovered Mr Depp's severed finger tip on the floor.

He said that on the flight back to Los Angeles from Australia with Ms Heard, she asked him "have you ever been so angry with someone that you just lost it?"

He said: "I replied that that had never happened to me. She seemed incredulous and asked again, 'you have never been so angry with someone that you just lost it?'

"Again, I answered that I had not and Ms Heard did not continue on this topic. This question seemed alarming to me, given the severity of the damage I had earlier witnessed at the house and the apparent serious injury to Mr Depp's finger."

Mr King also said Mr Depp was teetotal when he interviewed for the job and he was "surprised" when the couple brought "a relatively large number of cases of wine" to a house in London.

He also said that during their London stay in October 2014, he did not see Mr Depp drink, but he believed Ms Heard "would regularly drink at least one or two bottles a night".

Also on Wednesday, Kevin Murphy - Mr Depp's current estate manager, who gave evidence via video link - said Mr Depp "would never hit a woman".

Mr Murphy was asked about a text message sent to him by Mr Depp, in which the actor offered his "profound thanks" and referred to wanting to "rid this fraud of the ability to hurt all womankind".

He said Mr Depp felt that Ms Heard's allegations were "not only a fraud against him, but a fraud against women in general".

The case arose out of the publication of an article on the Sun's website headlined: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?".

The Sun's original article related to allegations made by the actress, who was married to the film star from 2015 to 2017.

Witnesses including Mr Depp's former partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder are expected to give evidence via video link, and the hearing is expected to last for three weeks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53419113

 

[Firebat]

Johnny Depp 'called security to take him away from Amber Heard'

Johnny Depp's bodyguard has claimed it was "very common" for the actor to call his security team "to take him away from" his then wife Amber Heard.

Sean Bett alleged Ms Heard was verbally and physically abusive towards Mr Depp.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun over an article that referred to him as a "wife beater" - but the newspaper maintains it was accurate.

He denies 14 domestic violence allegations which News Group Newspapers is relying on for its defence.

Meanwhile, actresses Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis - who are former partners of Mr Depp - will no longer be called to give evidence.

They had been due to appear via video link this week. On Thursday the actor's barrister David Sherborne told the court Mr Depp's legal team had decided there is no need to hear from them, given that the defendant's case is that the actor was not violent to other partners but was to Ms Heard.

Mr Bett, who is Mr Depp's head of security, is a former deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and has worked for the Hollywood star for nine years.

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53429571

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp's ex-partner Winona Ryder has said it is "impossible to believe" allegations from his former wife Amber Heard that he was violent.

"I truly and honestly only know him as a really good man," said Ms Ryder.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun over an article that referred to him as a "wife beater" - but the newspaper maintains it was accurate.

He denies 14 domestic violence allegations which News Group Newspapers is relying on for its defence.

Ms Ryder and Vanessa Paradis, also a former partner of Mr Depp, had been due to give evidence at London's High Court via video link.

But on Thursday the actor's barrister David Sherborne told the court Mr Depp's legal team had decided there was no need to hear from them. Their witness statements were released to the media, following a successful application by the PA news agency.

Ms Ryder, who was in a relationship with Mr Depp for four years, said: "I understand that it is very important that I speak from my own experience, as I obviously was not there during his marriage to Amber, but, from my experience, which was so wildly different, I was absolutely shocked, confused and upset when I heard the accusations against him.

"The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved.

"I cannot wrap my head around these accusations. He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me. He has never been violent or abusive towards anybody I have seen.

"I truly and honestly only know him as a really good man - an incredibly loving, extremely caring guy who was so very protective of me and the people that he loves, and I felt so very, very safe with him.

"I do not want to call anyone a liar but from my experience of Johnny, it is impossible to believe that such horrific allegations are true. I find it extremely upsetting, knowing him as I do."

'Humble and respectful'

In her witness statement, musician, actress and model Ms Paradis said she had known Mr Depp for more than 25 years - including 14 years when they were partners and raised their two children together.

"Through all these years I've known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous and non-violent person and father," she said.

"On movie sets the actors, directors and entire crews adore him because he is humble and respectful to everyone, as well as being one of the best actors we've seen."

Ms Paradis' statement said the allegations from Ms Heard were "nothing like the true Johnny I have known, and from my personal experience of many years, I can say he was never violent or abusive to me".

"I have seen that these outrageous statements have been really distressing, and also caused damage to his career because unfortunately people have gone on believing these false facts," she added.

Earlier, Mr Depp's bodyguard claimed it was a "very common occurrence" for the actor to call his security team "to take him away from Ms Heard, due to her behaviour" and "he would then stay somewhere else".

Sean Bett, who is Mr Depp's head of security, has worked for the Hollywood star for nine years.

In a written statement, Mr Bett said he saw the couple "very regularly" during their relationship, and "never saw any cuts, bruises or other injuries on Ms Heard".

"On the contrary, throughout the course of Mr Depp and Ms Heard's relationship, Ms Heard was verbally and physically abusive towards Mr Depp," he claimed.

He added: "I would describe it as a recurring cycle that Ms Heard would abuse Mr Depp, who would then remove himself from the situation."

The case centres on an article published on the Sun's website in April 2018. It was headlined: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?".

The article related to allegations made by Ms Heard, who was married to the film star from 2015 to 2017. The hearing is expected to last for three weeks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53429571

 

[MenInG]

An artist friend of Johnny Depp's has dismissed images of Amber Heard with injuries as "phoney baloney" at the High Court, and accused the actress of filing a "fraudulent" domestic violence claim to "extort and blackmail" the actor.

Isaac Baruch, who the court heard lived rent-free in one of Depp's Los Angeles apartments, was the first witness to give evidence on Friday, day nine of the Hollywood star's libel action against the publishers of The Sun and the paper's executive editor Dan Wootton over an article labelling him a "wife beater".

Mr Baruch described Depp as a "noble mensch" and "a true honest guy". Speaking about "phoney baloney pictures in People magazine" of Heard with injuries, he said they did not compare with what he had ever seen.

The court also heard from Alejandro Romero, a concierge at the Eastern Columbia Building, where the stars lived, who claimed that Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk regularly visited Heard late at night at the penthouse. Depp has previously accused Heard of having an "extra-martial affair" with Musk.

But first up was Mr Baruch, who in his witness statement claimed that Depp confided in him as early as 2013 that [Heard] "likes to hit".

Depp and Heard split up in 2016 and NGN, the publishers of The Sun, are relying on 14 allegations of violent behaviour the actress has made against her ex-husband as their defence in court.

Depp, who finished giving his own evidence at the beginning of the week, arrived late to court on Friday, in the middle of Mr Baruch's evidence.

During his time in the witness box, the artist was asked about the aftermath of an incident on 21 May 2016, in which Depp is alleged to have thrown a phone at the actress and smashed objects at their Los Angeles penthouse - the actor denies this.

Mr Baruch, who has known Depp for 40 years and at the time was living in a neighbouring apartment owned by the actor, told the court Heard's face looked "natural and normal" the day afterwards.

He claimed he was "around 12 inches" from Heard's face on 22 May 2016 and did not see "a single mark".

Mr Baruch said the actress told him Depp "had come by the night before and got violent" and she was changing the locks to three apartments.

After a conversation with Heard's friend, Josh Drew, Mr Baruch said he went back to speak to Heard, who told him that Depp "hit her in the face and threw a phone at her".

In his statement, he said there were lights on and sunlight coming through windows and he had "an excellent view of Ms Heard's face".

Mr Baruch said: "I literally was around 12 inches from her, inspecting her face, and I did not see a single mark or evidence of any marks, bruising, or swelling of any kind anywhere on her face. She also definitely didn't seem to be wearing any make-up at this time of day that could cover any marks or swelling.

"Her face looked to me just as natural and normal as all the other times I've seen it over the past three years while hanging out together around the apartments."

Mr Baruch's statement also makes references to four other occasions on which he saw Heard in the following few days.

"Again, I saw no marks of any kind on either side of her face," he said. "There were no bruises, scratches, redness, dark spots, or swelling of any kind."

In his witness statement, Mr Romero gave details about Musk's alleged visits to Heard.

"From March 2015 onwards, Ms Heard was visited regularly late at night, at around 11pm to midnight, by Mr Elon Musk," he said.

"For his initial visits, I would receive a call from Ms Heard who would tell me to give Mr Musk access to the garage for the building and then send him up to the penthouse.

"After he had made a few visits, Ms Heard provided Mr Musk with his own garage remote and a fob to Mr Depp's penthouse.

"I believe he visited Ms Heard a few times a week and he would always visit when Mr Depp was not at home."

In his statement, submitted in support of Depp's libel action, Mr Romero also claimed he "did not notice any bruises, cuts, swelling, red marks or any other injuries of any kind to Ms Heard's face" when he saw her a few days after the alleged 21 May 2016 incident.

The case continues.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...ry-photos-in-court-as-phoney-baloney-12030489

 

[MenInG]

Elon Musk offered Amber Heard "24/7 security" after she told him she wanted a restraining order against Johnny Depp, the High Court has heard.

She denied Mr Musk visited her while her then-husband Mr Depp was away.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun over an article that labelled him a "wife beater" - but the newspaper insists it was accurate.

The US actress, 34, was giving evidence in London for a second day on the 11th day of her ex-husband's libel action.

I was afraid Depp was going to kill me, says Heard
Depp 'never, never violent to me' - Winona Ryder
Depp and Heard 'rowed like schoolchildren'
She dismissed suggestions Mr Musk visited her in 2015 while Mr Depp was away, saying she was not in touch with the Tesla founder until the following year.

On Tuesday, Mr Depp's lawyer, Eleanor Laws QC, questioned Ms Heard on her statement, in which the lawyer said the actress had indicated that Mr Depp was "illogically jealous" and that she wasn't having any "illicit relationships".

The trial judge, Mr Justice Nicol, intervened to say the word "illicit... carries a connotation".

Image copyrightPA MEDIA
Image caption
Elon Musk told Amber Heard 'I really like you' in a text message exchange
The lawyer read out text messages between Ms Heard and Mr Musk from 22 May 2016, in which Ms Heard told him that she was going to get a restraining order against Mr Depp.

The messages came a day after an alleged incident at the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles, where Mr Depp and Ms Heard lived, in which the actress claims Mr Depp threw her mobile phone at her, hitting her in the face - which the actor denies.

Image copyrightEPA
Questioning Ms Heard, Ms Laws said Mr Musk offered to "arrange 24/7 security for you", adding that he said: "The offer would stand, even if you never wanted to see me again... anyway, sorry for being an idiot. The radio silence hurts a lot. It only matters because I really like you."

The barrister cited evidence from Alejandro Romero, a concierge at the Eastern Columbia Building, who said he saw Mr Musk visiting Ms Heard "when Mr Depp was in Australia".

Ms Heard said Mr Romero was "wrong", insisting that she wasn't in communication with Mr Musk until 2016.

In his written witness statement, Mr Romero said: "From March 2015 onwards, Ms Heard was visited regularly late at night, at around 11pm to midnight, by Mr Elon Musk."

The concierge claimed Ms Heard gave Mr Musk his own fob to access the building.

Ms Laws later put it to the actress that in March 2015, she was in a "relationship or seeing" Mr Musk, which Ms Heard denied.

Image copyrightPA MEDIA
Image caption
Amber Heard and James Franco starred together in the thriller film The Adderall Diaries
Ms Heard has said that Mr Depp accused her of having affairs with fellow actors, including James Franco - with whom she starred in the film The Adderall Diaries.

Mr Depp's lawyer asked Ms Heard about Mr Franco and her comment in her statement that he was "someone that Mr Depp was accusing you of having an affair with and he was quite wrong about it".

Ms Heard said: "That's right."

The lawyer showed the court CCTV footage of the actress travelling downstairs in the lift at the Eastern Columbia Building on 22 May 2016 at around 23:00 local time (06:00 BST), before travelling back upstairs shortly after with Mr Franco.

After Ms Heard confirmed that the man in the footage was Mr Franco, Ms Laws asked her if she was trying to "avoid" being seen by the camera.

Ms Heard replied that the pair were "talking" and Mr Franco was saying to her "'oh my god, what happened to you?' when he saw her face.

Ms Heard said she collected Mr Franco from downstairs after 23:00 local time, before adding that "in those days, I didn't sleep much at night".

Bed defecation 'absolutely disgusting'
Ms Laws turned to an alleged incident in which Mr Depp's cleaner was said to have found faeces in his bed the morning after Ms Heard's 30th birthday party at the Eastern Columbia Building.

Mr Depp has previously said it was "a mystery" who defecated in the bed "and it was not left by a three or four-pound dog", in reference to the couple's dogs.

He said he was "convinced" that Ms Heard or "one of her cohort" had defecated on the bed.

Ms Heard denied that she or any of her friends had left "human excrement" on the bed when challenged by Ms Laws, calling such an act "absolutely disgusting".

Asked about the couple's dog and its problem with toilet training, Ms Heard said it had become a "common occurrence" after one of the dogs ate some of Mr Depp's cannabis as a puppy.

She said Mr Depp's housekeeper Hilda Vargas would clean up after the dogs "occasionally" but that when her ex-husband's dog had accidents in the bed she herself would clean it up.

Ms Laws said Ms Vargas "knew the difference" between the mess the couples' dogs made and human faeces, and asked Ms Heard if Ms Vargas was wrong.

Ms Heard said: "I can't imagine what kind of human being would have a sense of humour like that, other than Johnny, but I don't think that's funny, I think it's horrific."

'I hit him to protect my sister'
Ms Heard was asked about the alleged "stairs incident" in LA in March 2015, when the actress has said she thought Mr Depp was going to push her sister, Whitney Henriquez, down the stairs.

Mr Depp's barrister put it to Ms Heard that she "was the violent one" in the "very nasty row" between the actress and her now ex-husband.

Ms Heard replied that Mr Depp had hit her and her sister, and denied Ms Law's suggestions that she threw a can of Red Bull and spat at him.

She admitted striking Mr Depp "in defence" of her sister, as she thought he was "about to push her down the stairs".

Ms Heard said this belief was based on a "rumour" she had heard from "two people" that Mr Depp had "pushed a former girlfriend", which she thought was Kate Moss, down the stairs.

The actress said she would "never forget" the incident in LA, as it was the "first time" she had hit him back in all the "years" she claimed Mr Depp had hit her.

Ms Laws challenged Ms Heard that she had never mentioned the claim about Ms Moss before, suggesting the actress was "making this up as you go along".

Ms Heard said that she didn't have "the opportunity (to list) every instance of every moment of every memory that has gone through my mind".

The libel case centres on an article published on the Sun's website in April 2018 headlined: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?".

The article related to allegations made by Ms Heard, which Mr Depp denies.

Her evidence was initially due to conclude on Wednesday but will now continue until Thursday morning, with her friends Melanie Inglessis and Joshua Drew expected to appear by videolink on Wednesday afternoon.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53489105

 

[The Viper]

Amber Heard: Johnny Depp threw bottles 'like grenades' at me

Actress Amber Heard has accused her ex-husband Johnny Depp of throwing around 30 bottles at her "like grenades", the High Court in London has heard.

She said the incident happened during what she previously called a "three-day hostage situation" in 2015.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun over an article that labelled him a "wife beater" - but the newspaper insists it was accurate.

Ms Heard, 34, was giving evidence in court for a third day.

It is the 12th day of the libel action by her ex-husband.

Mr Depp has previously claimed his ex-wife threw a vodka bottle at him which severed the tip of his finger while the couple were in Australia in March 2015.

Ms Heard, who was married to the film star from 2015 to 2017, has accused Mr Depp of repeatedly assaulting her during the Australia trip, fuelled by drink and drugs, which he denies.

She told the court on Wednesday: "I got angry at times but not into a rage that would cause me to throw anything at him."

She said she had taken a bottle from him on the night of the alleged incident as she did not want him to drink any more and smashed it on the floor.

"He started picking [bottles] up one by one and throwing them like grenades. One after the other after the other, in my direction, and I felt glass breaking behind me, I retreated more into the bar and he didn't stop."

"I was too scared to look behind me. He threw all the bottles that were in reach."

Ms Heard said she remembered that only "a celebratory magnum-sized bottle" was not smashed by Mr Depp "out of 30 or so" bottles.

Mr Depp's lawyer, Eleanor Laws QC, put it to Ms Heard that Mr Depp's fingertip was severed as a result of the actress throwing a bottle in his direction. Ms Heard replied: "No."

Ms Laws said: "According to you, Mr Depp sliced his finger off all on his own ... and then carried on attacking you."

Ms Heard said: "Yes, he did. I don't think he meant to sever the finger but yes he did continue the attack."

The lawyer also asked about a photograph showing a mark on Mr Depp's face and accused Ms Heard of stubbing a cigarette out on his cheek.

Ms Heard denied the claim, saying: "No, Johnny did it right in front of me, he often did things like that."

The libel case centres on an article published on the Sun's website in April 2018 headlined: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?".

The article related to allegations made by Ms Heard, which Mr Depp denies.

Her evidence was initially due to conclude on Wednesday but will now continue until Thursday morning, with her friends Melanie Inglessis and Joshua Drew expected to appear by videolink later on Wednesday.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53498854

 

[The Viper]

Johnny Depp libel trial: Amber Heard's sister claims she saw actor hit her 'in the head'

Spoiler

Amber Heard's sister has claimed she witnessed Johnny Depp punching the actress and says she "felt sick" when she learned they were getting married.

Whitney Henriquez said in a witness statement that she "begged" her older sister not to go through with the wedding, telling her that Depp "putting a ring on her finger was not going to stop him hitting her".

She gave evidence on day 13 of the biggest English libel trial of the 21st century, with Depp, 57, suing NGN, the publishers of The Sun, in a case being heard at the High Court in London.

Ms Henriquez appeared in person in the witness box on Thursday afternoon following Heard's last few hours of giving evidence earlier in the morning - during which the actress gave more details about an argument in Australia in 2015 and the court was told about texts she sent to her mother about Depp.

Key moments from day 13 in court

Heard, 34, has given evidence for the final time, with the court hearing of texts she sent to her mother, one saying: "I'm heartbroken this is who I love"
She made more claims about what she alleges was a "three-day hostage situation" in Australia in March 2015, saying she found blood, broken glass and paint, as well as "mashed potato and gravy smeared" on a door - and raw meat on the floor
Ms Henriquez claimed she saw Depp hitting her sister in March 2015 and denied lying to support Heard's story - she is the only person who says she witnessed the actor being violent
Even before this alleged incident, she said she "felt sick" when she learned in 2013 that they were getting married as her sister had made allegations of violence
As Ms Henriquez gave evidence in the afternoon, the court was told details of her witness statement.

In it, she said that when she first met Depp he seemed "very sweet" and that they eventually became close, "like brother and sister". However, she also said his relationship with Heard was "tumultuous from the start".

Ms Henriquez alleged the actor could "insult her and say he loved her in the same sentence, with equal amounts of passion. I remember him often saying 'f****** ugly c***, you fat *****... but god I f****** love you' - and things like this".

She claimed that "early on" she "began to notice signs of physical abuse, like bruises or cuts or burns on [Heard's] arm".

Ms Henriquez said when Heard announced their engagement in September 2013, "I felt sick about it".

"I told her it was a bad idea, begged her not to go through with it and said that she should end it because it wasn't going to get better.

Ms Henriquez told the court she witnessed Depp being violent once, in March 2015 - an alleged incident which happened on and near to the staircase of the actor's penthouse in LA.

"Johnny reached out to shove me out of the way to lunge at Amber - reaching out to try hit Amber - and instead struck me, hitting me in the arm," she said in her statement.

"Amber suddenly lurched forward and hit him and said, 'Don't hit my sister'. I didn't see exactly how Amber hit him but it didn't seem especially hard; it was just enough for him to lose momentum.

"She was just trying to protect me and I think it probably stopped me from being pushed down the stairs. There was a struggle with me stuck in the middle of it, and he really went for Amber.

"Somehow I was pushed out of the way so I wasn't between them, but I was standing right there next to them when Johnny grabbed her by the hair with one hand and I saw him punch her really hard in the head with his other hand multiple times."

The court also heard about an alleged episode in March 2013 - the so-called "Disco Bloodbath" incident, due to a subsequent reference to a book in a text exchange - when Heard says Depp tried to burn a painting by her ex-wife Tasya van Ree when she refused to take it down from their bedroom wall.

There has been some confusion as to the date this occurred, with Heard changing her initial statement earlier this month to amend the date she first gave, 8 March 2013, to later that same month on 22 March.

Ms Henriquez said she had also been mistaken in her statement, and had mixed up the painting that was damaged, originally saying the signature had been scratched over to read "Tasya van Pee". She said she later realised this was a separate incident the year before.

A photo was shown to Ms Henriquez showing her with Depp, Heard and The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Depp's lawyer, Eleanor Laws QC, said the photo was taken on 23 March 2013 and showed no injury to Heard's face.

Ms Henriquez disagreed and said when she looks at the photo she sees "make-up and a split lip".

There was also discussion over a trip to Coachella Festival, which occurred shortly after Heard's 30th birthday in 2016, when another alleged incident between Depp and Heard took place.

Earlier in the case the court was told by Depp's security guard Starling Jenkins that he had seen Heard "being sick in a car park" at the event. Ms Henriquez said the person he saw being sick was her, and it was because she was pregnant at the time.

As Heard gave evidence in the morning session, Sasha Wass QC, representing NGN, gave details of text messages from the actress to her mother, Paige, sent during her relationship with Depp.

"It's terrible, mum. I don't know what to do," one read, while in another she described him as a "madman", and another said: "He's nuts, mum. Violent and crazy. I'm heartbroken that this is who I love."

In another text, Heard said Depp was "not being violent with me" but just "raging in general". She told the court she was not being truthful in this text.

Heard then told the court: "I was so in love with Johnny at that time. We had had a wonderful year together where he was sober and clean and that is how I got to know him.

"And Johnny, when he was like that, (is) generous, loving, he is a remarkable man when he is like that.

"I loved him and I didn't want to lose that... the other side of him was a monster, but I always held out hope that he would get clean and sober."

Proceedings then moved on to the much-discussed incident in Australia, when Heard alleges Depp was taking MDMA and drinking heavily.

In court the previous day, Heard gave her account of part of the argument, accusing the actor of throwing bottles "like grenades".

On Thursday, Ms Wass asked her about the damage to the house in which they were staying - which included broken windows, graffiti on mirrors and blood and paint on the walls and floors.

Asked how much of it she was responsible for, Heard said she only broke one bottle.

Giving her account of the damage, the actress told the court: "When I first opened the door that last morning, there was what appears to be mashed potatoes and gravy or something rubbed all over the door... I remember there was a bird, which scared me to death... I guess it had flown in through a broken window."

Heard continued: "I started seeing all this blood on the carpet... which I thought was (from) my feet, but there was drops of it. There was blood everywhere.

"There was paint, what I thought was paint because it was a brownish colour, on the walls and then it started to become clear to me that they were letters or messages, words. It was heavy at first and then it kind of faded into a, like, milky-brown colour."

She continued: "I found raw meat, at first I didn't know what it was, on the floor... not just on the floor, I continued to find it... that day, hidden in various places.

"He had taken my nightgown and ripped it into shreds. He wrapped pieces of food [in it]."

Heard said that downstairs, Depp was playing "death metal, blasting really loud" and she could see "tonnes of broken glass", and a ping pong table was "broken and on the ground".

Depp is suing NGN and The Sun's executive editor Dan Wootton over an article published in April 2018, with the headline: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?"

Heard is NGN's witness; the publisher is defending the article as true.

The trial continues.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...ms-she-saw-actor-hit-her-in-the-head-12034854

 

[The Viper]

Johnny Depp's lawyers say video shows Amber Heard 'attacked' sister

A video which Johnny Depp's lawyers say shows his ex-wife Amber Heard "attacked" her sister has been shown to the High Court.

In the video, which was given to his legal team on Thursday night, friends of Whitney Henriquez suggest her sister had "beat" her and appear to inspect her body for bruises.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun over an online article that labelled him a "wife beater".

The paper insists it was accurate.

In the video, which was shown to the court on the 14th day of the hearing in London, Ms Henriquez is talking with friends by a pool.

One friend is heard saying, "did you get in a fight?" and then "I can't believe Amber beat your ***."

One woman appears to inspect Ms Henriquez's cheek and arm, and Ms Henriquez says she is not going to talk about it.

'Lying'

The actor's barrister, David Sherborne, said his team received the video from "an anonymous source", after Ms Henriquez said in court that her sister had never attacked her.

He said the video was captured during the filming of a reality television show and was not for broadcast, but was "the rushes" - the unedited, raw footage.

He told the court: "We were contacted to explain that Ms Amber Heard had a history of violence and attacking people and this video, which was attached, of her sister Whitney was taken shortly after Amber Heard had attacked her, and Ms Whitney was filmed with people commenting on the bruises on her face and body."

Mr Sherborne said the newly disclosed video material "demonstrates Ms Whitney was lying yesterday" and that she had "tailored" her evidence "to meet her sister's evidence".

On Thursday, Ms Henriquez said Ms Heard had never hit her and denied being "frightened" of her sister.

She also gave evidence that she saw Mr Depp punch Ms Heard "really hard in the head... multiple times" in Los Angeles in March 2015, during the so-called "stairs incident".

Ms Henriquez acknowledged that Ms Heard had punched Mr Depp on that occasion - but said it was only "in my defence" because Ms Heard believed Mr Depp was going to push Ms Henriquez down the stairs.

Mr Sherborne said Ms Henriquez had been asked in court whether Ms Heard was violent and had said "the stairs incident" was a "one-off".

Mr Sherborne continued that Ms Henriquez's evidence about the incident in March 2015 was "the only occasion on which any other human being is supposed to have witnessed" Mr Depp being violent towards Ms Heard.

"The reliability of Ms Whitney is critical," he added.

Mr Sherborne said Ms Heard's evidence was that "she was never violent, she (has not) physically attacked Mr Depp... and the only occasion is said to be when she was acting in self-defence".

"Evidence that Ms Heard was violent towards her sister is relevant to that issue," he said.

He told the court: "We are entitled to put [allegations of] violence to Ms Whitney [Henriquez]... we want to play the video tape to her and ask her about the incident in which Ms Amber Heard attacked her."

'Meaningless'
Ms Henriquez's cross-examination concluded on Thursday afternoon and she had been due to be questioned by Sasha Wass QC, who represents the Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), on Friday morning.

Ms Wass said she had not been aware of the video until Mr Sherborne told the court about it and argued it was "meaningless".

"This is an undated piece of film footage in circumstances which appear to be some sort of reality TV programme, which is flippant, certainly not serious," she told the court.

"This is a light-hearted exchange, there is no evidence of any injuries and it will take the matter... no further."

However, Mr Sherborne, representing Mr Depp, argued: "We say it is quite clear from that video that not only did Ms Amber Heard assault her sister, but it was quite clear also that the injuries that were suffered by Ms Whitney Heard are being examined by the individual that we see on the tape.

"There is no denial of the fact that Ms Amber Heard 'beat up' Ms Whitney Heard and that there are injuries."

Depp 'dictated' Heard's work
Ms Heard's acting coach Kristina Sexton has also been giving evidence by video link from Australia.

In a written witness statement, Ms Sexton said she had met the actress in 2009 and the pair became friends "quite quickly".

She said Ms Heard became a "nervous wreck" about choosing film roles because she was "so worried" about Mr Depp's reaction.

Ms Sexton alleged Mr Depp "dictated" his ex-wife's work and told her not to take certain jobs because he did not want her doing "***** parts".

Giving evidence, Ms Sexton confirmed to Mr Depp's lawyer, Eleanor Laws QC, that she had not seen the actor "hit, kick or throw anything" at Ms Heard.

Under questioning from NGN's lawyer, Ms Wass, Ms Sexton said she had previously been aware of "verbal fights" between the pair but in April 2016, Ms Heard told her Mr Depp had been hitting her and had tried to strangle her.

The libel case, which is due to finish next week, centres on an article published on the Sun's website in April 2018 under the headline "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?".

The article related to allegations made by Ms Heard, which Mr Depp denies.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53527715

 

[MenInG]

There is a "wealth of evidence" supporting Amber Heard's allegations of domestic violence against Johnny Depp, lawyers have argued at the High Court - claiming the actor's memory is "so severely impaired by drug use" he may not be aware of the extent of his "terrifying behaviour".

Depp, 57, is suing the The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article which labelled him a "wife beater", and after three weeks the trial is now drawing to a close.

NGN's legal team made their final speeches and submissions on Monday; lawyers for the Pirates Of The Caribbean star - who strenuously denies all allegations of violence - will get to do the same on Tuesday, with a ruling on the case expected to come at a later date.

Evidence suggests the 57-year-old actor is "a hopeless addict who repeatedly lost his self-control and all ability to restrain his anger" with Heard, the defence team claimed.

Sasha Wass QC, for NGN, told Mr Justice Nicol, the judge in the case, that evidence of Depp's "drug and alcohol-fuelled lifestyle provides a backdrop to the events" in question.

"Firstly, it demonstrates that the claimant was subject to irrational mood swings and abnormal behavioural patterns, which would not have been present when Mr Depp was clean and sober, and Mr Depp has a name for this metamorphosed entity, namely 'the monster'," she said.

"The other aspect which is important in terms of substance abuse is Mr Depp's recollection of his own disgraceful conduct, which is so severely impaired by drug misuse that he may not even have been aware of the extent of his violence and terrifying behaviour which, on more than one of these pleaded incidents, put Ms Heard in fear of her life."

Ms Wass told the court it would be "trite" to suggest that a person who remains with a violent partner "cannot be a victim" and said that "the days are long past when the courts in this country required corroboration before accepting the unsupported testimony of a female complainant".

Testimony from a person who makes a complaint of domestic violence is "sufficient to prove the case", the barrister said, "provided that the complainant - Ms Heard in this case - gives credible and reliable evidence".

In this particular case, there is a "wealth of evidence" - including text messages and emails as well as medical evidence - supporting 34-year-old Heard's claims, Ms Wass argued.

During the three-week trial, the court has heard evidence from both Depp and Heard, as well as other witnesses including her sister, Whitney Henriquez, and some of her friends, as well as members of Depp's staff past and present.

NGN is defending its article as true, "namely that Mr Depp did indeed beat his wife", the barrister told the court.

It is relying on 14 allegations made by Heard, who appeared as a witness for the publishers, all of which the actor denies.

"For the defence of truth to be substantiated, the defendants need to prove on a balance of probabilities that Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard on at least one occasion," Ms Wass said.

"During the last two weeks, the defendants have established that many more than one incident of wife-beating took place over the course of the relationship between the claimant and Amber Heard."

Ms Wass went through details of the allegations again in court on Monday, including what Heard has described as a "three-day hostage situation" in Australia in 2015, the so-called "Boston plane incident", and her 30th birthday party in April 2016.

Heard has accused Depp of verbal and physical abuse from early in 2013 until their break-up in May 2016, including screaming, swearing, punching, slapping, kicking, headbutting and choking her, as well as "extremely controlling and intimidating behaviour". She claims he threatened to kill her "many times" and that she was "terrified" of "the monster" he would sometimes become.

She claims "one of the worst and most violent nights" of their relationship took place in December 2015, when she says Depp attacked her the day before she was due to record an appearance on James Corden's The Late Late Show.

During the trial, the court heard evidence from a stylist who worked with Heard for the show, who said she saw no injures, and also a make-up artist who said she did, and had to cover them up.

Depp claims she has made all the allegations up, accusing his ex-wife of "building a dossier very early on" in their relationship to align herself with the #MeToo movement.

He told the court no other woman had ever accused him of hitting them, and witness statements submitted by two of his ex-partners, Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis, supported this.

Other famous names to be drawn into case include actors Leonardo DiCaprio and James Franco, and Space X and Tesla founder Elon Musk, with Heard saying Depp was jealous and accused her of having affairs.

Depp called DiCaprio, who she auditioned with once, "pumpkin head", Heard said in her witness statement.

The court also heard details of messages exchanged between Depp and actor Paul Bettany and of his friendships with other stars including musician Marilyn Manson and The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.

In her closing speech, Ms Wass said Depp had "aspiration to be the Southern gentleman with the beautiful younger wife".

She said he glamorised drug use and that "there was a clash of generations and a clash of cultures" when he got together with Heard. "He was not expecting her to continue acting with younger attractive co-stars," the barrister said.

Ms Wass concluded by saying that Depp has "done what he wants for most of his adult life" and was not about to change for Heard, and told the court she believes the actor to be "a wife beater" - the crux of this libel case.

The trial has been the biggest English libel case of the 21st Century - but even once a judgment is made, it does not end here.

Depp is also suing Heard in separate libel proceedings in the US over a December 2018 column in the Washington Post, which did not mention the actor by name but said the actress received "the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out".

That case is due to be heard in Virginia next year.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...orts-amber-heards-claims-lawyers-say-12037406

 

[Technics 1210]

I honestly don't understand how this is even a story?

 

[The Viper]

Johnny Depp libel trial: Amber Heard is a 'compulsive liar' and an 'unreliable witness', court hears

Amber Heard is a "compulsive liar" and a "wholly unreliable witness" who has changed her story and swapped key dates in a bid to manipulate the case, Johnny Depp's lawyers have argued at the High Court.

In the final day of speeches and submissions, Depp's barrister David Sherborne told the court that Heard's "lack of" credibility was key to the case, drawing on several examples - including the unexpected introduction of Kate Moss into the case.

Towards the end of the day, while court was still in session, Heard gave an impromptu speech outside the High Court, saying she just "wanted to move on with my life".

She was standing with a group of her supporters, including her sister Whitney, girlfriend Bianca Butti and lawyer Jennifer Robinson.

Heard told the crowd of photographers, press members and onlookers that it had been "incredibly painful" to relive her breakup with Depp, along with the "traumatic and intimate details" of her life being "broadcast to the entire world".

She also thanked her legal team, police and the "outpouring" of support she had received around the world.

Spoiler

Depp, 57, is suing the The Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article which labelled him a "wife beater".

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star strenuously denies all allegations of violence.

NGN's legal team made their final speeches and submissions on Monday, with Heard's defence team concluding that there was "a wealth of evidence" to support the 34-year-old's claims.

However, Depp's defence team suggested there were numerous examples which implied doubt around Heard's evidence.

Mr Sherborne described Heard's revelation that Depp previously pushed British supermodel Moss down the stairs as an act of "unscripted malevolence".

Moss dated Depp for four years in the 1990s.

Last week, when Heard was in the witness box, she said that during an alleged incident in March 2015, which took place on a staircase, she rushed to her sister's aid after she remembered "information" about Depp and Moss.

She told the court she "did strike Johnny that day in defence of my sister", but said it was because "he was about to push her down the stairs and, the moment before that happened, I remembered information I had heard [that] he pushed a former girlfriend - I believe it was Kate Moss - down the stairs".

Heard added: "I had heard this rumour from two people and it was fresh in my mind."

Mr Sherborne said this new information was "invented" and "blatantly made up", and also questioned why Heard did not give details of this allegation in any of her previous statements.

"The unchallenged fact," he said, whatever Heard's claims, is that "Mr Depp has never hit another woman in his life".

A second example he used to demonstrate Heard's "unreliability" was the Boston Plane incident - an allegation of violence in 2014.

He said Heard "could not resist" an attack on Depp by saying he attacked a flight attendant, despite never previously referring to this in her witness statements.

The topic of shifting dates has been brought up throughout the case, with both Heard and her sister Whitney, who also gave evidence, both shifting the dates of the so-called "Disco Bloodbath" incident.

This was an alleged incident which is said to have occurred after a dispute over a painting by Heard's ex-partner Tasya van Ree.

Heard has said during this fight Depp hit her "so hard that blood from her lip ended up on the wall."

Heard first said this alleged incident happened on 8 March 2015, but later said it took place on 22 March of the same year. Her sister also altered her statement to reflect the date change.

At the time, Depp was filming a documentary on The Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards, and the court was shown a photo with Depp, Heard, Whitney and Richards, which may have been taken the next day.

In his final arguments, Mr Sherborne also reiterated why it was that Depp had put himself through this "painful, public" process.

He reminded the court that on 27 April 2018, The Sun published an article with the headline: "Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?"

The column was written by executive editor Dan Wootton. Mr Sherborne made the comment that the showbiz journalist's name had been as "absent from these proceedings as Mr Wootton himself".

Employing court terminology, Mr Sherborne also said that in publishing the offending article, The Sun acted "as both judge and jury", despite "no charge" being brought against Depp.

The court was also reminded of evidence of Heard's alleged violence towards Depp, which the actor's team said was "highly relevant".

The court was played two audio recordings, which they said showed Heard's propensity for violence, one in which she could be heard calling Depp a "f***ing baby" and another in which the actor says she "haymakered" him (an American phrase for punching wildly).

The trial was again read part of a statement from Bahamas estate manager Tara Roberts, who said: "I observed in December 2015 to my colleagues that Amber was a 'thrower', someone who threw projectiles."

She described Depp as an "unusually kind man" and said she had never seen him be "violent or aggressive" with Heard, or anyone else.

Ms Roberts statement went on: "She was insulting him, calling him names, and in the middle of this onslaught I heard her say specifically 'your career is over', 'no one is going to hire you', 'you're washed up', 'fat', 'you will die a lonely man', and also screaming things that were incomprehensible."

Ms Roberts said that during "this entire incident, I never saw Johnny hit Amber, or push her back, nor did he physically react to the attacks. She would calm down and hug and apologise. Then he would say he needs to leave and it would start again".

An extended video clip was played showing Depp banging cupboards (a shorter clip had previously been shown to the court several times).

In reference to this Mr Sherborne joked that the trial should have been about "Johnny Depp the kitchen cupboard beater rather than wife beater".

There has also been much mention of the phrase "the monster" in court, which was noted by Depp's team in their conclusions today.

Heard's team allege the term was the name she gave to Depp when he committed acts of violence, while Depp's team say it was a description he used "to placate" Heard and something she subsequently "became obsessed with".

n his summing up, Mr Sherborne said the monster was being used to "bridge the gap" because of "lack of evidence in this case".

As this is a civil claim, the burden of proof lies with the defendant (NGN). This means the publisher needs to prove on the balance of probabilities that Depp is a "wife beater".

For clarity, this means the judge must be persuaded that it's more likely than not that Depp committed at least one act of domestic violence (from the 14 allegations The Sun is relying on in court) to rule in the paper's favour.

All bar one of the 14 acts of physical violence Depp is accused of rely entirely on Heard's account, Mr Sherborne said.

The so-called "staircase incident" (mentioned above, in relation to Kate Moss) is the only allegation which claims to have a witness to violence between the couple, in the form of Heard's younger sister, Whitney Henriquez.

Depp's team have said that due to "the seriousness of the allegations published" they are seeking "a very substantial award".

Despite a top limit for damages of around £325,000 ($418,000), the actor's team are seeking additional "aggravated damages" which they say have "impacted on the claimant's distress".

These include Mr Wootton not personally giving evidence; The Sun not contacting Depp to offer right of reply and the fact that the article is still available to view on the paper's website.

Today was the final day of the hearing, with a ruling due to be handed down by the judge in due course.

However, the outcome is unlikely to be swift, and with the High Court summer recess planned for August and September, we could be waiting several months.

In fact, many are seeing this case as merely a dress rehearsal for a separate and ongoing case in America.

While this case was between Depp and The Sun's publishers, the actor is personally suing Heard for libel in the US over an opinion piece she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018.

The op-ed - which did not specifically mention Depp - was about being a public survivor of abuse and Heard said she had received "the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out".

That case is due to be heard in Virginia next year.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...r-and-unreliable-witness-court-hears-12037975

 

[MenInG]

Despite being a libel case, Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd & Another felt more like a criminal trial at the Old Bailey, or a domestic violence hearing in the family courts.

Both Sasha Wass QC, for NGN, and Eleanor Laws QC, for Depp, who carried out the respective cross-examinations of the actors and former spouses Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were, for example, drafted in because of their expertise in the criminal courts.

Depp’s lawyers argued that the gravity of the allegations meant that the civil standard of proof applied in defamation cases should be applied “flexibly”, so that the more serious the allegation “the stronger must be the evidence before a court”. The standard of proof in a civil case rests on the balance of probability, whereas in a criminal case it relies on the matter being beyond reasonable doubt.

In his skeleton argument at the start of the trial, David Sherborne, representing Depp, said: “Because [NGN] are seeking to prove true an allegation of guilt of criminal conduct, the standard of proof and the evidence capable of proving the allegation take on particular importance.

“This is because they are seeking to prove true a very serious allegation and a finding to that effect is one with potentially serious consequences. The evidence required therefore to prove their case needs to be compelling.

“The issue of credibility,” he added, “is of particular importance.”

The key issue for the trial judge, Mr Justice Nicol, to determine is whether an April 2018 article in the Sun was defamatory. Under the 2013 Defamation Act, a publication is not defamatory unless it has caused or is likely to cause “serious harm to the reputation of the claimant”.

Depp’s claim is that the article bore the meaning that he was “guilty, on overwhelming evidence, of serious domestic violence against his then wife, causing significant injury and leading to her fearing for her life, for which he was constrained to pay no less than £5m to compensate her, and which resulted in him being subjected to a continuing court restraining order; and for that reason is not fit to work in the film industry”.

He denies the allegations and maintains he “has never hit or committed any acts of physical violence against Ms Heard”.

The Sun’s publisher, NGN, is relying on a defence of truth. The onus is on the paper to prove that the allegations are “substantially true”, that Depp beat Heard, causing her to suffer significant injury and on occasion leading her to fear for her life. It maintains it was obvious the £5m was part of a divorce settlement, not compensation for physical assaults.

The paper relied on 14 separate allegations of violence and claimed that Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive” towards Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

If Depp wins, the judge will have to decide what level of compensation he should receive for the harm to his reputation and for the “distress, hurt and humiliation caused”.

As well as general damages, Depp may be able to argue he is entitled to aggravated damages. The actor is also asking for a final injunction against NGN, who his legal team say “have retained the article on their website and maintained their allegation to the bitter end”.

The case raises many issues, among them how difficult cases can be if two people give diametrically opposed accounts of events that occurred in private.

If four weeks of courtroom investigations – aided by first-class lawyers examining CCTV recordings, text messages, photos and numerous witnesses – still struggle to establish the precise truth of what happened, then how hard must it be for family courts processing thousands of domestic violence allegations every year?

https://www.theguardian.com/film/20...-problems-of-proof-in-domestic-violence-cases

 

[Gabbar Singh]

What an idiot he didn’t even need to bring this case to court and air his dirty laundry in public. Now he’s lost the case.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Actor Johnny Depp loses libel case against the Sun newspaper after the tabloid described him as a "wife-beater" <a href="https://t.co/zGhANsRdxQ">https://t.co/zGhANsRdxQ</a></p>— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1323207172889714693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Madplayer]

This is a bit shocking

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp's lawyers say "the judgment is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Mr Depp not to appeal this decision" after actor loses his libel case against The Sun newspaper

 

[Firebat]

Johnny Depp loses libel case over Sun 'wife beater' claim

Johnny Depp has lost his libel case against the Sun newspaper over an article that called him a "wife beater".

Mr Depp, 57, sued the paper after it claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he denies. The Sun said the article was accurate.

Judge Mr Justice Nicol said the Sun had proved what was in the article to be "substantially true".

He found 12 of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence had occurred.

Mr Depp's lawyer called the ruling "perverse" and said the Hollywood actor intends to appeal.

A spokesperson for the Sun said it had stood up for domestic abuse victims for decades, and thanked Ms Heard for "her courage in giving evidence to the court".

The trial was heard over 16 days in July at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Ms Heard's lawyer in the US, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, said the judgement was "not a surprise".

"Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the US," she said.

Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard, 34, in the US in a separate case, over an opinion piece she wrote in the Washington Post. Mr Depp says the article implied he was violent towards her.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54779430

 

[MenInG]

Depp asked to resign from from his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise.

Johnny Depp has been asked to quit his role in Fantastic Beasts 3 after his unsuccessful libel trial against The Sun newspaper.

The star said he had agreed to the request, adding in a social media post that the "surreal judgment" of the High Court trial "will not change my fight to tell the truth".

Depp's involvement in the Harry Potter spin-off was the catalyst for the entire civil case after he sued News Group Newspapers Ltd (NGN) over a column which ran both in print and online.

Originally titled "Gone Potty: How can J K Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?", it was published in April 2018 and written by executive editor Dan Wootton.

The Hollywood star told the High Court the articles had caused serious harm to his personal and professional reputation, and that the paper's intention was to "finish" his career. However, the judge did not find in his favour.

The role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is understood to have already been re-cast.

In the high profile court judgment earlier this week, Judge Justice Nicol ruled that the tabloid's report on allegations that he was violent towards ex-wife Amber Heard was "substantially true".

During the hearing, the court was told of Depp's extensive use of drink and drugs, read texts in which he called his ex-wife a "witch" and suggested burning her, and shown videos of him punching and hitting kitchen cupboards.

In his ruling, the judge said that while Depp, 57, "proved the necessary elements of his cause of action in libel", NGN showed that what they published was "substantially true".

Depp has always denied being violent towards Heard, 34, insisting that he was in fact the abused party in the relationship.

Depp's legal team have said they will appeal and that the decision, calling it "as perverse as it is bewildering" and "flawed".

Following the ruling, a spokesperson for JK Rowling said the author would not be commenting on whether Depp would still be involved in the the Harry Potter spin-off, adding that it was a matter for the studio behind the production, Warner Bros.

Depp was dropped from Disney's Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise back in 2018, shortly after Heard published an opinion piece about sexual violence for the Washington Post.

An entirely separate US case over the article is is due to go before another judge in Virginia next May. Depp is suing Heard for $50m (£39m) while Heard is countersuing him for $100 (£78m).

The piece did not specifically mention Depp by name.

The Hollywood star gambled his reputation on his ruling - does the outcome signal the death of his 'family friendly' movie appeal?

Depp had played Captain Jack Sparrow five times across 14 years, bringing in big box office returns for the family friendly films.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 3 is currently back up and filming in the UK after being put on hold earlier in the year due to coronavirus.

English actors Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law will reprise their roles as Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore respectively.

It was a very public showdown, with Heard as star witness in The Sun's defence against Depp. But who said what?

The action will take place in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, after the first film was set in New York City and the second movie - The Crimes of Grindelwald - took place in Paris.

Sky News has contacted Johnny Depp, J K Rowling and Warner Bros Pictures for comment.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...e-beater-libel-trial-against-the-sun-12124553

 

[SpiritOf1903]

The **** should have zero credibility in court

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Heard was seeing other men ( and possibly women) behind his back, I think that much has become evident. She was making a fool out of the old goat and and one can only imagine why she married the millionaire superstar actor at the time since his drugs and alcohol habit was widely known.

That said, doesn't matter if your wife is taking you for a ride, still no excuse for violence, even if as he alleges it was often instigated by Heard herself. He should have walked away, it is all his own fault.

 

[Nadeemp]

Heard was seeing other men ( and possibly women) behind his back, I think that much has become evident. She was making a fool out of the old goat and and one can only imagine why she married the millionaire superstar actor at the time since his drugs and alcohol habit was widely known.

That said, doesn't matter if your wife is taking you for a ride, still no excuse for violence, even if as he alleges it was often instigated by Heard herself. He should have walked away, it is all his own fault.

Ditto

 

[Firebat]

Dior sticks by Johnny Depp in defiance of 'wife beater' ruling

Evidence suggests defiant Johnny Depp fans have been buying Dior’s Sauvage fragrance in support of the actor, who continues to be the face of the cologne despite a high court judge finding that he violently abused his ex-wife during their relationship.

Depp has been the face of the aftershave since it launched in 2015 with an advertising campaign that was criticised for its racist portrayal of Native Americans. But many were surprised to see an advert for the fragrance, featuring Depp playing a guitar, being shown on TV during The Great British Bake Off this week.

“We have received a total of 11 complaints about this ad,” a spokesperson for the Advertising Standards Authority said, “with the complainants believing that Johnny Depp shouldn’t be in the ad due to details concerning his recent court case.”

Depp has been ordered to pay the Sun newspaper an initial amount of £630,000 in legal fees after the court found this month that there was overwhelming evidence that he attacked his then wife, Amber Heard, during the mid-2010s.

Depp was rumoured to have been paid between $3m and $5m for the Sauvage advert.

The British PR expert Mark Bokowski, who has worked with Michael Jackson and American Express, said: “I think it would be sensible for Dior to sever links with Depp. Anything can be stopped by pressing a button if they really wanted to.”

Since the advert was broadcast, fans of Depp, using the hashtag #Justiceforjohnnydepp, have been posting messages of support on social media for the actor and Dior’s continued association with him. “Johnny Depp is still the face of Sauvage, because Dior aren’t idiots,” said one post. “Shout out to Dior for practically being the one sponsor left for Johnny Depp that hasn’t turned their back on him,” said another. “He’s still the face of their cologne Sauvage, definitely gonna get me a bottle to show my support.”

Since the ruling, which dismissed Depp’s claim that the Sun had libelled him by calling him a “wife beater”, internet searches for Sauvage have increased by 23%, according to the beauty website Cosmetify. The cologne is the bestselling male fragrance at The Fragrance Shop and is in the bestsellers list at The Perfume Shop.

Bokowski said he believed the fashion label was hedging its bets by keeping Depp as the face of the fragrance.

“A brand like Dior is not just looking at this territory,” he said. “The attitude [toward Depp] in the UK will be very different to the one in eastern Europe, for example.

“Brands hope for short-term memory loss and long-term amnesia. These fashion companies live in their own bubble, it’s like The Devil Wears Prada [film]. They live in a world where they are used to facing controversy.”

In 2005 Depp’s former partner, the model Kate Moss, was dropped by Burberry and Chanel after her News of the World cocaine scandal. But instead of killing off her career, it added to her appeal. “She became the darling of the non-high street and high-end fashion brands who didn’t care [about the scandal],” Bokowski said.

Asked if there was a chance Dior could use Depp again, Lauren Sherman, the chief correspondent for the Business of Fashion, said: “In the past, pre-social media, I would have bet on it. Now there is more to lose. It’s possible, but it’s riskier.”

Despite the shadow of “cancel culture”, Sherman said she thought Dior was taking the position of “all publicity is good publicity”.

“Most businesses like that take a long view, which is that growing awareness is good overall,” she said. “People will forget about the Depp association with time, but they may not forget the Sauvage name so easily.”

The Guardian has contacted Dior for comment.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/20...johnny-depp-in-defiance-of-wife-beater-ruling

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

I am not watching Aquaman 2, WB needs to fire Amber Heard. She bashed up Johnny and smashed his finger, justice should be equal

 

[MenInG]

The sequel to Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard's bitter legal battle is coming to Virginia.

After losing the first round - a libel trial set in the UK - Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 35, for $50m (£38m) over an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. Heard is suing back, with a $100m counterclaim against Depp.

The defamation trial is expected to feature painful accusations of domestic abuse. It will be broadcast live and involve a number of high-profile witnesses, including James Franco, Paul Bettany and Elon Musk.

Before opening arguments begin on Tuesday, here's a look at how we got here and what might happen next.

The basics

Depp and Heard started dating in early 2012, after meeting on the set of The Rum Diary a few years earlier. By 2015, they were married.

But just 15 months after they made it official, it was over.


Heard filed for a divorce and a restraining order, appearing in a Los Angeles court with a bruised cheek.

She said her then-husband - 23 years her senior - had "violently" attacked her and thrown a mobile phone at her face with "extreme force". There were other alleged instances of harassment as well - "excessive emotional, verbal and physical abuse", she wrote in court filings, "angry, hostile, humiliating and threatening assaults".

Depp denied the abuse.

A judge granted Heard a temporary restraining order, but hours before a civil trial over the order was to begin, she and the Pirates of the Caribbean star released a joint statement saying they had put their dispute to rest.

"Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm."

Depp gave Heard $7m as part of their divorce settlement, which she pledged to donate to the American Civil Liberties Union - something Depp's team now disputes.

Why is Johnny Depp suing Amber Heard?
For a period, all seemed civil between the former couple.

"He walked away, she walked away - that was it," said journalist and author Cooper Lawrence, who has written extensively on celebrity culture.

But then in December 2018, Heard wrote an opinion piece in The Washington Post, describing her experience as a "public figure representing domestic abuse".

"I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out," she wrote. "I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse."

She did not mention her ex-husband or any other alleged perpetrator by name.

But according to Depp's complaint, these three sentences amount to defamation anyway, derailing his career and "incalculably" damaging his reputation.

"The op-ed's clear implication that Mr Depp is a domestic abuser is categorically and demonstrably false," the star's lawyer wrote in the complaint. "Her allegations… are part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms Heard and advance her career."

Why is the trial in Virginia?
Depp's legal team successfully argued that the trial should be held in Virginia - home to two Washington Post offices and where the paper is physically published.

"It's not uncommon for a plaintiff to choose the forum," said Ryan Baker, a Los Angeles attorney who has represented clients in defamation cases. "But that doesn't explain why they chose Virginia over California."

The reason, Mr Baker said, is probably linked to something called an Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) law.

These state statutes are essentially extensions of the First Amendment, giving added protection to speech and other activities that relate to matters of public interest.

"If someone, like Amber Heard, writes something about domestic violence and spousal abuse - those are clearly matters of public interest," Mr Baker said. "She has some form of immunity for saying those things."

Both Virginia and California have their own versions of Anti-SLAPP laws, but California's are stronger. There, defendants like Heard are able to invoke the protection immediately. Virginia, by contrast, does not allow defendants to use this protection in the early phases of legal proceedings.

"In California, I think Heard would have just knocked this case out right away," Mr Baker said.

Depp will still have to overcome an Anti-SLAPP argument from his ex-wife. Last month, a Virginia judge ruled that Heard could raise the statute at trial, arguing her op-ed is protected speech.

"It will be a real mountain to climb" for Depp, Mr Baker added, "he's just able to climb it a lot later in Virginia".

Haven't we been here before?
Sort of.

In 2018 - before Heard's op-ed was published - Depp sued News Group Newspapers Ltd, publishers of British newspaper The Sun for libel over an article that referred to him as a "wife beater".

But while this legal battle was between Depp and The Sun, the three-week trial in London looked more like a feud between former spouses.

Depp's odds of success were better in England than the US, where a defamed person has to prove what was said about them isn't true.

Across the Atlantic it's the opposite: the burden of proof rests with the alleged slanderer, who has to prove what they said is true.

Still, he lost. A British judge ruled that the "great majority" of Heard's accusations of abuse could be proven to the civil standard - meaning the abuse was more likely than not to have occurred.

Last year, Depp's appeal in that case was denied.

Who will be there?
There are around 120 people on the potential witnesses list. It's a star-studded assortment: Elon Musk, Ellen Barkin, Paul Bettany and James Franco.

The Tesla CEO is expected to testify on behalf of Heard. Musk, who reportedly dated Heard between 2016-18, offered to provide "24/7 security" to the Justice League and Aquaman star to protect her from Depp, according to text messages read at the London libel trial. Franco, too, is expected to speak on Heard's behalf. The actress has said she confided in Franco about bruises she sustained in an alleged fight with Depp.

Paul Bettany, who has called Depp the "kindest, gentlest" man he knows, will take the side of his friend. Bettany will probably face questions about text messages exchanged between him and Depp in 2013.

"It's going to be a circus," said journalist Cooper Lawrence.

"Now we have to hear from all these really famous people because they were witness to all of this, they were there for it," she added.

The upcoming battle - expected to last up to six weeks - will in many ways be a rerun of the London trial, exposing lurid details about Depp and Heard's former relationship, with accusations of abuse aimed at both sides.

Heard is sure to repeat claims of verbal and physical assault by a volatile Depp throughout their relationship. Depp, in turn, will probably return to his assertions that Heard was the aggressor and has fabricated her account as a victim for financial and reputational gain.

"I don't think either one of them comes out of this holding their heads high," Ms Lawrence said.

Indeed, whatever the legal outcome, Depp's decision to aggressively litigate has ensured an immense amount of attention is trained on his personal life.

"It seems to me that his strategy may be backfiring," Mr Baker said. "There are now endless opportunities for a peanut gallery to form. At the end of the day, is it better just to move on?"

BBC

 

[MenInG]

'Mutual abuse'

Therapist Laurel Anderson is now telling the court of her impressions of the relationship.

She says he had difficulty in their sessions, that he struggled to have a voice

"Ms Heard had a jackhammer style of talking," Ms Anderson tells the court. "Very amped up." Depp had trouble talking at a similar pace and was cut off a lot.

Ms Anderson says the actor couldnt keep up with Heard's "rapid-fire way of conversation" and was often "overwhelmed".

Asked if she had seen photos of Heard with injuries, she says yes, with her face bruised.

Ms Anderson is asked about Depp's previous relationships and tells the court she believes he was "well controlled" for decades but was "triggered" by Heard. She says they engaged in what she saw as "mutual abuse".

She says Heard initiated this more than once and that "abandonment and having [Depp] leave was her worst nightmare".

She says Heard would "rather be in a fight than have" Depp leave.

Ms Anderson has a couple of masters degrees and a PHD, the court is told, when she is asked about her qualifications.

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp is giving evidence for the first time in $50m US libel case against ex-wife Amber Heard - you can watch live in the stream above

Depp's doctor revealed yesterday that a chef found Depp's finger in the kitchen during the couple's infamous Australia trip View post
Star's security guard exposes bizarre details of Depp's life

Sound technician says Depp has worn earpiece to act for 25 years

Depp is suing his ex-wife over a domestic abuse column she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018 - even though it didn't mention him. Heard is countersuing for $100m

==

Subjected to 'cruelty and physical violence'

Depp is now describing his home life as a child. He says his mother, Betty Sue, had "hot feet" and liked to move around a lot. For that reason he says he was "always the new kid" and that was hard.

Depp also says she was "very unpredictable" and "had the ability to be very cruel" with not just him, but also his three siblings and father. He says she was violent and carried out physical abuse.

He explains: "She would throw an ashtray at you, or you would get beat with a high heeled shoe or a phone... In our home you were exposed to no safety. The only thing you could really do was to try to stay out of the line of fire. I started to be able to observe, and I could see when she [his mother] was about to get riled up and somebody was going to get it. Generally, it was me".

He is asked to elaborate on how his mother could be "cruel" and he says "the physical abuse was constant... As she walked past you would shield yourself [he mimes being hit at]. We were all shell-shocked."

He says they were also subject to verbal bullying, picking out any weaknesses such as his brother's poor eyesight or his sister's buck teeth. He says his mother was from Kentucky, and while his father's parents were fairly gentile, his mother was from a more working class family. He says his mother did not like his father's family.

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp has told a court his ex-wife Amber Heard's allegations of domestic violence and sexual abuse are "heinous and disturbing" - and that he is "obsessed" with getting to the truth.

Giving testimony for the first time on the fifth day of the libel trial, Depp began by admitting he and Heard argued during their relationship but said he "never" reached the point of hitting her - and "nor have I ever struck any woman in my life".

He told the jury in Fairfax, Virginia, that his ex-wife's allegations had "permeated" the entertainment industry and become "a global, let's say 'fact', if you will".

The actor said he felt he had to stand up for himself and his two children, who were teenagers when the claims were first made public.

"I felt it was my responsibility to clear my name and my children of this horrid thing that they were having to read about their father," he said.

"My goal is the truth, because it killed me that people I'd met over the years... would think that I was a fraud and had lied to them".

He went on to reference his current standing in Hollywood compared with his lucrative career before the allegations were made.

"It's very strange when you're Cinderella, so to speak, and then in zero seconds you're Quasimodo. I didn't deserve that. I pride myself on honesty and truth. Truth is the only thing I'm interested in, lies will get you nowhere. I'm obsessed with the truth," he said.

Depp is suing Heard for $50m (£38.2m), while Heard has issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

The former couple started dating after meeting on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary, and married in Los Angeles in February 2015.

Heard obtained a restraining order against Depp in May 2016 after accusing him of abuse, which he denied, and the pair settled their divorce out of court in 2017.

Many of the witnesses involved in this case were previously called to give evidence in Depp's 2020 trial in London, in which he sued the publisher of The Sun newspaper over an article that referred to him as a "wife-beater".

The judge in that case found the claims in the article to be "substantially true" and Depp was later refused permission to appeal the case at the Court Of Appeal.

SKY

 

[James]

What a mess.

Two careers ended.

One promising and one already great.

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp has told a court his ex-wife Amber Heard showed "pure hatred" for him and arguments could "escalate" into her becoming violent - with a slap, a shove or a "glass of wine in my face".

Speaking on the sixth day of the libel trial, the actor said Heard would call him a "bad father, a terrible father, an awful father" and tell him he had no idea how to parent.

The actor said his former partner, who he is suing for defamation in a US court, had a "need for conflict" and "couldn't be wrong".

During his testimony, Depp also gave his account of how he came to sever his finger during the couple's now infamous Australia trip in 2015, saying Heard "hurled" a bottle at him and describing the injury as "grotesque". The actress, who has not yet taken the stand, denies causing the wound.

Depp told the jury he would often lock himself in the bathroom to remove himself from escalating situations. He admitted there is "plenty wrong with me" but said there's "plenty wrong with a lot of people" and that in situations with Heard his "main goal was to retreat".

Depp is suing Heard for libel for $50m (£38.2m), while Heard has issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

The trial, which has seen various claims of drink and drugs binges, has been brought over a 2018 article Heard wrote in The Washington Post, which Depp's lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her.

Key points from Depp's testimony - Day 6 of the trial

• Depp said he would often lock himself in the bathroom to get away from escalating situations
• The actor said Heard had a "need for conflict" and "couldn't be wrong"
• He repeated his assertion that he never struck Heard amid questions over an argument about one of his tattoos
• Depp said there is "plenty wrong with me" but that in situations with Heard his "main goal" was to retreat
• He also told the court he has never had a physical addiction to alcohol.
• Jurors shown graphic picture of Depp's sliced finger
• Catch up on what has been said so far in our live reporting of the trial as it happens

Giving evidence for the second day in a row, Mr Depp said that over time his marriage to Heard had begun to feel like he was "in a relationship" with his mother.

He said at times during their relationship it seemed like she had "pure hatred" for him and that often it did "escalate into violence".

Asked what he meant by this, Depp said that Heard in her "frustration", "rage" and "anger", would "strike out".

He said this could begin with a slap, or a shove, "it could begin with throwing a TV remote at my head" or a "glass of wine in my face".

Depp said Heard engaged in "teenage high-school tactics" and that her "bullying" became too much.

Depp says he 'never' struck a woman in his life

At one point during the day's hearing in Fairfax, Virginia, Depp was asked about the first incident of alleged domestic violence that Heard says happened in early 2013.

The actress claims the alleged incident was sparked by her laughing at Depp's "Wino Forever" tattoo - famously changed from "Winona Forever" after his split from actress Winona Ryder in the 1990s.

Depp told the court this "didn't happen", repeating earlier assertions that he never struck Heard and saying he had "never struck a woman in my life".

Actor asked about events on board flight from Boston to LA

Heard has also claimed Depp became violent during a private flight from Boston to LA in May 2014, an incident that has come up several times during the trial.

Depp told the jury he had taken two opiates, roxycodones, before the flight.

He said he sat on the plane drawing and Heard was verbally heckling him, that she would "poke and prod" physically, psychologically and emotionally.

The actor said he grabbed a pillow and hid in the bathroom of the plane. He said he laid down and went to sleep and that is where he remained for the rest of the flight.

Depp also spoke about the couple's infamous Australia trip in 2015 which took place shortly after they got married.

Heard has previously claimed Depp was abusive during this trip and has described it as a "three-day hostage situation".

Depp accused her of throwing a bottle at him which shattered. He said he "felt no pain whatsoever" at first but looked down and realised the tip of his finger had been severed.

"I was looking directly at my bone... sticking out... blood was pouring out."

Jurors were issued with a warning as they were shown a picture of Depp's injured finger, which was entered into evidence.

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...him-and-would-escalate-into-violence-12594507

 

[Savak]

Plenty of Public Sympathy for Johnny Depp. They sincerely believe this Amber Heard was a Skanky Cheating Gold Digger who milked their relationship to the fullest extent.

 

[MenInG]

Johnny Depp has faced hours of tough questioning from Amber Heard's lawyer during his libel trial - with graphic texts about his ex-wife and photos of messages written in paint and blood from his severed finger shown in court.

Facing cross-examination on the seventh day of the hearing - and Depp's third on the witness stand - the actor sat through a full day of evidence presented against him as Heard's lawyer Ben Rottenborn cast doubt over his claims that it was the actress who was violent in their relationship, not him.

There was a definite shift in mood from Wednesday's hearing, when the actor gave his version of events, prompted by his own lawyers. On Thursday, he clashed with Mr Rottenborn several times.

The court was shown message exchanges between Depp and British actor Paul Bettany, in which they discussed "burning" and "drowning" Heard.

Depp was also questioned on the former couple's stay in Australia in March 2015, while he was filming the fifth Pirates Of The Caribbean film out there - a fight between the couple which resulted in the star severing his finger has been discussed a lot in court and become the most notorious incident between the pair.

Heard's lawyer referenced Depp's history of trashing hotel rooms and his smashing of a bathroom sconce during one argument with Heard. He claims Depp cannot deny abusing Heard because he was often drunk and high to the point of blacking out.

• The court was shown graphic texts sent by Depp about Heard, in which he called her a "slippery *****", among other insults
• Mr Rottenborn accused the actor of lying about his drug use at the time of filming the fifth Pirates Of The Caribbean film
• The jury was shown photos of mirrors on which Depp wrote messages in blood and paint during the fight in Australia
• Audio recordings were also played, with Depp heard saying in one that he was "jealous and f****** crazy" and asking Heard to cut him in another
• Catch up on what has been said so far in our live reporting of the trial as it happens

Depp is suing Heard for libel for $50m (£38.2m), while Heard has issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

The trial, which has seen various claims of drink and drugs binges, has been brought over a 2018 article Heard wrote in The Washington Post, which Depp's lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her - even though he is not named in it.

On Thursday, Mr Rottenborn presented several emails and text messages that Depp sent to Heard, friends, family and associates, which were often filled with expletives and vulgar descriptions.

'Burn Amber'

Messaging Bettany in 2013, Depp said: "Let's burn Amber." He added later: "Let's drown her before we burn her. I will f*** her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she's dead."

In a statement to Sky News' US affiliate NBC, a representative for Depp said the texts were a reference to a Monty Python scene, "which Johnny has already testified is one of his favorite movies".

He and Bettany "bonded over the film and often made references to the movie in text exchanges", the representative continued.

"They both knew exactly what they were referring to and as Bettany has attested to before - 'we live in a world without context... Can you imagine what it would be like, honestly, to have a bunch of lawyers go through every one of your emails and texts for 10 years?'"

Following their break-up, Depp referred to his wife as a "slippery *****" in a message to another friend.

In court, Depp said he was "not proud of any of the language... used in anger."

'Southern gentleman'

Much of the evidence heard so far at the US trial, taking place in Virginia, has made reference to Depp's use of substances while he and Heard were together, which the actress's lawyers say triggered violent episodes.

Jurors were shown messages in which Depp apparently discussed drug use, as well as a photo which showed cocaine on a table.

Before showing one set of messages to the court, Mr Rottenborn asked Depp, who grew up in Kentucky, if he lived up to the standards of a "southern gentleman".

"When you have deep, deep roots in the south... you're raised to be a southern gentleman, that is to say when chivalry was still alive and allowed," Mr Depp responded. "I believe I do (live up to the standards), I have certainly done my best all my life."

Jurors also were shown a video clip, secretly filmed by Heard, that showed Depp smashing and kicking kitchen cabinets at his home in West Hollywood.

The trial has previously heard that the former couple would sometimes record conversations, and clips were also played in court on Thursday. "I become irrational when you're doing movies," Depp could be heard saying in one. "I become jealous and f****** crazy and weird, you know, we fight a lot more."

What really happened in Australia?

Heard's lawyer told Depp he had questions about how he sustained the injury to his finger while in Australia in 2015 - which the court was shown a graphic photo of on Wednesday.

The actor has told the court the tip of his finger was sliced when Amber Heard threw a vodka bottle, which then shattered. She is yet to give her testimony in this trial, but is set to dispute this and say her ex-husband caused the injury himself.

Mr Rottenborn presented photos from the day the injury was sustained to the court, showing messages written on mirrors with paint and blood from Depp's severed finger. "Starring Billy Bob and Easy Amber," Depp wrote in one message - a reference to Heard having been away filming with actor Billy Bob Thornton shortly before her arrival in Australia.

The jury was then shown messages and played audio recordings referencing the finger, with Depp saying in them that he had "chopped my finger off" - seemingly contradicting his allegation that Heard caused the injury.

The trial at Fairfax County District Court continues on Monday, with Depp due to return to the stand then.

SKY

 

[shaz619]

Plenty of Public Sympathy for Johnny Depp. They sincerely believe this Amber Heard was a Skanky Cheating Gold Digger who milked their relationship to the fullest extent.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I just can’t stop laughing whenever Johnny speaks of his experiences ) it’s like is this guy serious or trolling lol

His wife does seem like a right piece of work though

 

[Rana]

Justice for Depp would basically be Amber Heard also losing her career. There is no way JD is coming back as an A lister after that cross examination, he admits that it was his voice/writing in almost every audio and text presented by the defence team of Heard.

Can’t wait for Amber to be cross examined by Depp’s legal team. She will try to cry her way out of it

 

[MenInG]

Key points from today's hearings:

Johnny Depp is back on the stand for more tough questioning from ex-wife Amber Heard's lawyer in his $50m US libel case against her -

Depp's texts about 'burning' Heard read out

Court shown photos of messages written by Depp in paint and blood from severed finger

Actor has told the court he was a victim of domestic abuse at hands of Heard - not the other way round

Depp is suing his ex-wife over a domestic abuse column she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018 - even though it didn't mention him. Heard is countersuing for $100m

 

[James]

Live text updates from the trial are available at —

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...rial-amber-heard-live-court-b2064623.html?amp

 

[daytrader]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An audio recording of Heard and Depp discussing their relationship breakdown in 2016 was played, in which the actress can be heard saying to Depp: "Tell the world Johnny, tell them I Johnny Depp, a man, am a victim too of domestic violence" <a href="https://t.co/XCz8fwrVuE">https://t.co/XCz8fwrVuE</a></p>— Sky News (@SkyNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1518826696916582400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Azzurri]

I am so surprise as of why the whole world is so keen to fellow this trial of nobodies really. People have too much free time

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

***WARNING - inappropriate language****

 

[Rana]

Does anyone know if Amber Heard will take the stand?

She is going to be toast if she does

 

[MenInG]

Amber Heard suffered from "histrionic and borderline personality disorders" and "grossly exaggerated symptoms of PTSD" according to a clinical and forensic psychologist who assessed her mental state following her split from Johnny Depp.

Doctor Shannon Curry told the court she had originally been approached by Depp's legal team to help ascertain whether there was evidence of "intimate partner violence" within the couple's relationship but was later was asked to complete "a psychological analysis" of the actress.

She said borderline personality disorder was "a predictive factor in women who implement violence against their partner," adding that "one tactic is physically assaulting and then getting hurt themselves... then using the legal system... for example using a restraining order".

It is widely known that Heard filed a temporary restraining order against Johnny Depp in May 2016.

Here are some of the key points from the ninth day of testimony:

• Bahamas estate manager says she saw Depp with 'bruised nose' after actor said Heard 'threw a can at him'
• Court hears Heard called Depp 'a washed-up actor' who would 'die a fat, lonely old man'
• Disastrous family trip with Depp's kids on yacht later sold to JK Rowling described
• Police officer says she saw no signs of domestic violence after alleged incident in LA
• Couple's relationship is yet again labelled 'toxic'
• Catch up on what has been said so far in our live reporting of the trial as it happens


'Taking a victim or princess role'

Doctor Curry also said that patients with histrionic personality disorder were "very, very interested in their looks" and frequently used them "to get what they want". She said it was common for people with such personality disorders to take on "a victim or princess role", sometimes making up stories to "get respect and attention that way".

She clarified that a "personality disorder" was an "enduring trait" affecting "all facets of a person's life", unlike mental disorders such as depression which she said were "episodic" and "would come and go".

She listed what she considered to be some of Heard's personality traits, including "passive aggressive behaviour and self-indulgent and self-centred behaviour", as well as being "full of rage, inner anger and blame".

Additionally, Doctor Curry described Heard as "grossly exaggerating symptoms of PTSD", saying that when the questions she put to her "seemed random" she believed that Heard tried to "minimise" any impression of a disorder, but when questions put to her revolved around trauma she felt Heard would "exaggerate".

She said the actress had initially claimed she suffered from 19 of the 20 symptoms of PTSD, which she said would not even be "typical of someone suffering from even the most disabling form of PTSD".

Doctor Curry said her analysis of Heard was based on evaluating a host of medical and legal documents and two in-person meetings with Heard in December 2021, which she said totalled 12 hours.

She said she used "the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Volume 2" (MMPI2) to reach her diagnoses (a series of 567 true or false statements) and that it was "the most commonly used assessment worldwide by mental health professionals and in forensic setting for the court".

Calling Heard "the 36-code type" she said such individuals showed traits including "a lot of cruelty, being very concerned with their image, very attention seeking and prone to externalising blame to a point where it's unclear whether they can admit to themselves they have certain responsibilities".

She also said they had "a lot of supressed anger which can explode out and issues within their relationships".

The doctor went on to say that such a person was "terrified of abandonment" and would do almost anything to avoid it.

However, during cross examination of Doctor Curry from Heard's team, the "highly irregular" practice of meeting with a subject in litigation was called out, with the doctor's decision to go for "dinner and drinks" at Depp's house ahead of agreeing to work for him criticised.

Heard's lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, also claimed the doctor was "so excited [about taking on the high-profile case] that she told her husband she was going to be conducting an examination of Amber Heard" although it was "a highly confidential matter".

Doctor Curry said that was not the case, she merely asked her husband to "pick up muffins because I was running late", adding that she and Heard "enjoyed the muffins together".

Heard's team also put it to her that she would not have been hired to testify had she not found the actress to be suffering from some form of disorder. Doctor Curry rebuked that theory, saying her diagnoses were based on evidence.

The court also heard remote testimony from Tara Roberts, the estate manager of Depp's Bahamas residence. She told Depp's legal team she had witnessed the couple arguing on the island and heard Heard saying to Depp: "You're a washed-up actor... You'll die a fat, lonely old man."

She says Depp accuse Heard of "hitting me with a can" and that he had "bruising on the bridge of his nose".

During the row, Ms Roberts said she could see Heard "clawing, grabbing at [Depp's] clothes... trying to viciously pull him back", while Depp "didn't react" and "stood there with his arms by his side" not doing anything.

She said she that she took Depp away from the situation to a café on the island, where she put an ice pack on his nose and he "slept for the rest of the morning".

During cross-examination by Heard's team, Ms Roberts was asked about "a trip on the yacht that Depp was going to be selling to JK Rowling".

The court was told that this was one day in July 2013 when Depp, Heard and Depp's two children Lily-Rose and Jack were out on a trip together, but Lily-Rose became "upset because her father was drinking and trying to hide it from her". A helicopter had to be organised to collect her from the yacht.

Ms Roberts confirms this took place. She is also asked to confirm another occasion when Depp "passed out face first in the sand" in front of his son Jack. She says it did happen and she helped Depp onto hammock and left to him to recover, however she says she doesn't know if Jack was "upset" by it as she didn't talk with him about it afterwards.

Ms Roberts also testified that she lived in her own property rather than with Depp on the island, and so "wouldn't know whether Mr Depp was taking drugs and wouldn't know if Mr Depp was drinking". However, she said she would know who consumed what "from cleaning up... From what was in the garbage and what was left out..."

She confirmed the actor had "a huge tolerance for alcohol".

We also heard from an LAPD officer who attended Depp's penthouse in Los Angeles on 21 May 2016, after Depp and Heard allegedly fought, and Heard's legal team say a mobile phone was thrown at the actress's face.

In a recorded deposition, Officer Melissa Saenz repeatedly told both Depp and Heard's legal teams that she had "not seen or heard anything that made her think a crime had been committed or an act of domestic violence had occurred."

She that was why she had not completed a report on the incident, despite it being police policy to file reports on any suspected incident of domestic abuse.

Officer Saenz testified that she could see no evidence of disorder in the Depp's penthouse or injury on Heard. Depp was not at the apartment at the time the officer attended.

Depp v Heard - the background

Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50m (£38.2m), over an opinion piece she wrote for the The Washington Post in 2018 which his lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her.

Heard has issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

The former couple started dating after meeting on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015.

Ms Heard's Washington Post article did not mention Depp by name but was titled: "I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture's wrath."

The trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, is scheduled to last six weeks.

SKY

 

[James]

<b>Johnny Depp blames 'burn Amber' text on Monty Python</b>

Johnny Depp has said text messages he sent about burning and drowning his former partner Amber Heard were a joke based on a Monty Python sketch.

Testifying before a Virginia court on Monday, the actor said he was "ashamed" of the messages, and that they were an attempt at humour.

Mr Depp, 58, sued Ms Heard, 36, over a story she wrote in which she described herself as a victim of domestic violence.

He denies any abuse.

Ms Heard filed a $100m counterclaim.
Taking the stand for a fourth day, Mr Depp responded to questions about a 2013 text exchange with British actor Paul Bettany.

"Let's burn her," Mr Depp had written.

"Let's drown her before we burn her."

He then made a further obscene suggestion "to make sure she is dead".

Asked about the messages in court, Mr Depp said the messages were "directly" from a Monty Python sketch about burning and drowning witches.

"This is a film we'd all watch when we were 10 - it's just irreverent and abstract humour," he said.

During cross-examination, Mr Depp was pressed on his claims that Ms Heard was wrong to portray him as a domestic abuser.

Jurors heard a series of audio recordings of conversations between the former couple, in which Mr Depp could be heard shouting vulgar insults and obscenities at Ms Heard.

In one exchange, Ms Heard shouts at Mr Depp to put his "cigarettes out on someone else".

Mr Depp could be heard insulting Ms Heard about her weight.

He grimaced while the clips were played, while Ms Heard seemed to hold back tears.

And lawyers for Ms Heard focused again on Mr Depp's history of substance use, claiming he would be violent during alcohol and drug binges.

But Mr Depp said: "If anyone had a problem with my drinking, at any time in my life, it was me. The only person I've ever abused in my life is myself."

At times, Mr Depp appeared visibly agitated by the lines of questioning, occasionally snapping at Ms Heard's lawyer, J Benjamin Rottenborn.

Mr Rottenborn introduced a series of negative articles about Mr Depp, some dating back to 2014, trying to demonstrate that damage to his reputation - and his career - had been done years before Ms Heard publicly accused Mr Depp of abuse.

"These are all hit pieces. These are dreck [rubbish]," Mr Depp said.

At the centre of the case is Ms Heard's 2018 opinion piece in the Washington Post, where she describes herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse".

Mr Depp says the article - which does not mention him by name - is defamatory and derailed his career.

At the trial - now in its third week - lawyers for Mr Depp have claimed Ms Heard was the aggressor, playing the "role" of victim to benefit her career.

Earlier, the jury heard evidence presented by the celebrity ex-couple's former therapist, who described how Mr Depp and Ms Heard engaged in "mutual abuse", as well as from medical workers who treated Mr Depp as he was detoxing himself from opiates.

Several high-profile witnesses, including the entrepreneur Elon Musk and the actors James Franco and Paul Bettany, are to appear later in the trial, which is expected to last at least another month.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-61221859

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Well regardless of the outcome, Depp will still be able to make indie films (something he should have gone back to 10 years ago) and the wider public sides with him. Plus he is a fantastic actor without a doubt.

Amber Heard, on the other hand, would only continue to get gigs in blockbusters (something she looks to prefer) if she wins the case. If she loses the case, then it will be near impossible for her to get big paychecks. Plus she's not really a Meryl Streep level actress. She would struggle to find big roles. Even till now it's her looks that have stood out in her movies rather than her acting.

 

[MenInG]

Police officers who visited Amber Heard following an incident of alleged abuse by Johnny Depp that came just days before she filed for a restraining order have told a jury they saw no evidence of injuries or property damage.

A staff member who worked in the Los Angeles building where Depp and Heard lived in one of the actor's penthouse apartments also gave evidence to say he saw the actress a few days later and saw no sign of any marks or bruising on her face.

On the tenth day of testimony in Depp's libel trial against his ex-wife, the court also heard from a talent agent who represented and was friends with both stars at the time of the split, as well the actor's top divorce lawyer.

Following explosive evidence on Tuesday from a clinical and forensic psychologist who took the stand and told the jury that Heard suffered from "histrionic and borderline personality disorders", Wednesday's session was slower, with pre-recorded depositions only played out on screen throughout the day.

Here are some of the key points from the tenth day of testimony:

• Witness who filmed his testimony from a car started driving towards the end of questioning - 'a first' for Judge Penney Azcarate
• Police officers who visited Depp's LA apartment on the night of 21 May 2016 - the final row between the former couple before their break-up - said they saw no signs of domestic abuse during two separate visits
• Talent agent Christian Carino said it was widely known that Depp lost his role in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise because of Heard's allegations
• He also told the court he believed Heard wanted to reconcile with Depp after filing for a restraining order
• Top celebrity divorce lawyer Laura Wasser, who represented Depp, also gave a short testimony
• At one point, Depp was pictured sketching in a notepad during the morning's session

Wednesday's court session started with recorded testimony from LAPD officer Tyler Hadden, one of the officers who was called out to Depp's penthouse apartment on 21 May 2016 - the night Heard's legal team say a mobile phone was thrown at the actress's face in the days before she filed for divorce and then sought a restraining order.

The police officer said Heard seemed reluctant to talk to officers and showed no signs of having any injuries, but told the court he could see she had been crying and was red-faced. "Just because I see a female with pink cheeks and pink eyes doesn't mean something happened," he said.

Depp had already left the penthouse by the time officers arrived at the scene, and they told the court they had no idea who Heard was, or that she was married to the Pirates Of The Caribbean star.

William Gatlin, another officer who made a follow-up visit later that evening, again told the court he saw no injuries on Heard, acknowledging that his visit was brief and he got no closer than 10ft. He said his check on the scene was short as it appeared that the call was just a duplicate to the one Mr Hadden had responded to a couple of hours earlier.

Asked if he knew who Johnny Depp was, he replied "yes". Asked if he was a fan, he responded: "I guess I liked a couple of his movies... I can't remember the last movie I saw of his."

The court was shown his bodycam footage of the call-out, although Heard could only be seen at a distance.

Christian Carino, a talent agent who represented both Depp and Heard, told the court how he was also friends with both during their relationship, and that both confided in him.

In his recorded testimony, he said he believes the abuse allegations against Depp are what caused Disney to drop him from the upcoming sixth Pirates Of The Caribbean film.

Asked if he was aware of problems caused by Depp drinking, taking drugs or being late to set while filming the fifth Pirates film in Australia in 2015, Mr Carino said: "I'm aware of him being tardy (late)... but he's been tardy on everything in his entire life." He said producers had learned to deal with this.

Mr Carino also told the jury that Heard had made attempts to reconcile with Depp, even after she filed for divorce and for the restraining order - once in 2016 and again in 2017.

He also testified briefly about Heard's subsequent relationship with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, the world's richest man - who is set to testify during the trial. Heard texted Mr Carino in 2017 professing sadness about her break-up with Musk, to which Carino was surprised. "You told me a thousand times you were just filling space," he responded.

Mr Carino told the court he no longer represents Depp or Heard and is no longer friends with either of them either, although said he bears them "no animosity".

'I don't want to deal with this court case'

The pre-recorded evidence of Alejandro Romero, who worked at Johnny Depp's penthouse building in LA, raised a few smiles in court.

He was not on shift on the night of 21 May 2016, but told the court he saw Heard at some point in the days afterwards. Given the time that has passed since then, he could not remember much, he said several times.

Answering questions from his car, at one point he said: "I'm tired... I don't want to deal with this court case... everybody's got problems and I don't want to deal with this no more."

Questioned on whether he saw marks on Heard's face in the days after 21 May 2016, Mr Romero said he always makes eye contact with people he is speaking to but isn't necessarily looking "to find something like... oh, you're make-up's wrong... you've changed your eyebrow, or your eyelashes are not as even".

"I'm not looking for anything... but if I see something I will probably remember it," Mr Romero said.

Towards the end of questioning, Mr Romero began to drive the vehicle - much to the surprise of Judge Penney Azcarate and Heard's lawyer Elaine Bredehoft.

"That was a first," the judge said once the video had been switched off and the jury sent out. Ms Bredehoft described it as a "bizarre deposition".

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Amber Heard's now famous opinion column on domestic violence was drafted for her, and the actress wanted to include details about her marriage against legal advice, a jury has been told - as more details on the day Johnny Depp severed his finger were also revealed in court.

Jurors in the libel lawsuit filed by Depp against Heard listened to testimony from Terence Dougherty, general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who told the court that a staff member wrote the first version of the Washington Post article under the actress's name and that tweaks were made to avoid making a direct link to her ex-husband.

The op-ed, which was published in December 2018, did not mention Depp by name, but he has told the court it was clearly about him and that it has ruined his career in Hollywood. Despite being the catalyst for this entire case, very little testimony so far has related to the column itself - but rather the "soap opera" of the stars' personal lives that Heard's lawyers predicted it would become on the opening day.

Mr Dougherty was the first witness on the 11th day of evidence in the case, which also included testimony from Depp's business manager Edward White, his security guard Malcolm Connolly, and chauffeur and assistant Starling Jenkins III.

Here are some of the key moments from the 11th day of testimony:

• The court was told details of how Amber Heard's opinion column was written and who was involved - and how it was timed to coincide with the release of her hit film Aquaman for maximum publicity
• Doubts were cast about how much of her $7m divorce settlement, which she pledged to give to the ACLU and a children's hospital, will actually go to the organisations
• Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk came up during the donation discussions, with Mr Dougherty saying he believed the billionaire contributed to Heard's payments
• The jury heard details of Depp's one-time $160,000 wine bill - although it is now said to be closer to zero
• Depp's security guard told the court he would sometimes see marks on Depp's face, not Heard's - and identified one in a photo
• Catch up on what has been said so far in our live reporting of the trial as it happens

The day started with Heard's connection to the ACLU, and the court was told she was announced as an ambassador for the organisation at the same time the Washington Post article was published.

Depp v Heard: Amber suffered from 'histrionic and borderline personality disorders' and 'grossly exaggerated symptoms of PTSD', court hears

Mr Dougherty told the court that it was actually an ACLU staff member who wrote a first draft of the article and sent it to Heard. "I tried to gather your fire and rage and really interesting analysis and shape out into an op-ed form," the staff member said in an email.

Heard reviewed it with her lawyers and ACLU lawyers also reviewed it at various stages - all to ensure it did not breach a non-disclosure agreement Heard had signed as part of her divorce.

During those discussions, Heard sent back an edited version approved by her lawyers that "specifically neutered much of the copy regarding her marriage", according to an email from another ACLU employee who co-ordinated with the actress.

According to the email, Heard was looking for a way to have a deleted passage restored to the article. Mr Dougherty testified that "the language that wound up in the final op-ed piece was very different from the original language" in the draft.

It was also timed to coincide with the release of Aquaman, in which Heard-co-starred with Jason Momoa, to capitalise on publicity, the court heard.

Where did the $7m divorce settlement go?

Following Depp and Heard's break-up, the actress pledged to split her $7m divorce settlement between the ACLU and a children's hospital in Los Angeles.

However, doubts were cast about the donations, with the court hearing that the ACLU has so far only received $1.3m of the $3.5m pledged; details for the hospital were not given.

Mr Dougherty testified that the organisation expected the money to come in over a 10-year period, but that Heard has made no contributions since 2018. However, Heard's lawyer pointed out that this coincides with Depp filing the lawsuit against her - an expensive business.

He also told the court he believed tech entrepreneur Elon Musk - who was in a relationship with Heard after her split with Depp - had paid $500,000 of the $1.3m the organisation had received. "Yes, we don't know that with absolute certainty, but that is our organisation's understanding," he said.

'It's all flapping around... I could see bone'

Despite the fact he was discussing some serious incidents and allegations, security guard Malcolm Connolly's live video-link evidence provided some lighter moments during Thursday's court session.

He detailed what he saw in March 2015 on the day he turned up to Depp's rented house in Australia and discovered the actor had severely wounded his finger - an injury the actor himself described as "grotesque" and which has come up several times during the trial already.

He told the court he arrived to "chaos" and that Heard was "screaming" and calling Depp, who was nursing his hand, a "f****** coward" as he left. He says he drove Depp to his own apartment and later they went to hospital.

The actor's "finger was just a mess" and like a "cartoon", he tells the court. "It's all flapping around... I could see bone."

Asked by one of Heard's legal team if Depp was trying to urinate on the floor when he arrived at the house, Mr Connolly said "no". After it was put to him again that the actor was trying to urinate and "had his penis out", he interrupted: "I think I would remember if I'd seen Mr Depp's penis" - which raised a laugh from the actor and others in the courtroom.

'He's walked into a door, or a door's walked into him'

Mr Connolly told the court he never saw any physical injuries on Heard. Asked if he saw any on Depp, he said he had. It "started off with a scratch once in a while but it got more", he told the jury.

Elaborating, Mr Connolly said he saw marks such as scratches, or a fat lip, or bruising around the eye socket.

"It was getting more regular. Not every week but it was definitely happening," he said.

The court was shown a photograph from Depp and Heard's honeymoon on the Orient Express from Bangkok to Singapore. Mr Connolly said he took the photo and that it shows a swelling underneath Depp's left eye.

"He's walked into a door, or a door's walked into him," Mr Connolly said, when asked what his interpretation of the swelling was.

Heard alleges Depp was violent on this trip, which he has denied.

One more thing we learned on Day 11

Depp's business manager Edward White told the court when he started working with the actor in 2016, his financial situation was "challenging" but plans were put in place to turn things round.

The court was told at one point towards the end of his marriage to Heard, Depp had a $160,000 wine bill - but this has shrunk to "virtually zero" now.

When will Heard take the stand?

According to Court TV, which is filming the trial live, Heard is expected to begin her testimony next week - which makes sense as that is the halfway point.

They also say that star witnesses who were set to testify - such as Musk, James Franco and Paul Bettany - may no longer be appearing.

Depp v Heard: The background

Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50m (£38.2m), over the opinion piece she wrote for the the Washington Post in 2018 which his lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her. Heard has issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

The former couple started dating after meeting on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015.

Why are Depp and Heard in court again?

Heard's Washington Post article did not mention Depp by name but was titled: "I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture's wrath." Depp has told the court that it is clear the article is about him and that he wants to clear his name.

The trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, has now been running for three weeks and is scheduled to last six weeks in total, with a week's break in May.

In the opening statements, the actor's lawyers said his ex was preparing for "the performance of a lifetime" during the trial, while her legal team said the case would expose the "real" person behind the "fame" and "pirate costumes".

The trial does not sit on Fridays, so continues on Monday.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Expert witnesses have told Johnny Depp's libel trial of the "devastating" impact of Amber Heard's domestic abuse allegations on the actor's career - while his agent claimed he was unable to "rescue" his lucrative Pirates Of The Caribbean role.

During the twelfth day of testimony, the jury also heard from another of Depp's security guards - who said he had witnessed Heard punching Depp, throwing things at him and trying to spit on him on one occasion.

Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50m over a first-person article published by the Washington Post in December 2018, and much of the day's questioning centred around how this column - as well as Heard's claims first being made public in May 2016 - damaged the actor's career and reputation.

For the actor's lawsuit to be successful, he not only needs to show that he was falsely accused, but also that it was the article specifically that caused the damage.

The case resumed on Monday following the weekend break, marking the start of the fourth week of the trial - with Heard expected to take the stand at some point later this week.

Travis McGivern, a security guard of Depp's for almost 10 years, was the first to testify on Monday, telling the jury how he witnessed verbal arguments between the two stars.

During one occasion in March 2015, after the couple had returned to LA from their now infamous Australia trip, Mr McGivern said he saw Heard throwing a can of Red Bull at Depp, spitting at him, and then punching him.

'You name it, she spewed it'

"Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a fist and an arm come across my right shoulder and I heard and saw a closed fist contact Mr Depp in the left side of his face," he told the court. "That was Amber Heard's fist."

He said that on this night, Depp was angry and threw Heard's clothing racks about, including one down the stairs. However, he says the actor did not respond to the actress physically - and that he never saw him being violent.

Arguments between the pair had become regular by this point, the bodyguard said. Typically, Heard would shout at Depp as he tried to leave, Mr McGivern told the jury.

"There were times I've heard Miss Heard call him a f****** deadbeat dad, if I can say that - I apologise to the court - a f****** washed-up, a f****** c***. You name it, she spewed it."

'I was not successful in rescuing Pirates for Johnny'

Next up was Depp's agent Jack Whigham, who told the court Heard's first person article was "catastrophic" to Depp's career and coincided with the loss of a $22.5m deal for the sixth Pirates Of The Caribbean film - although he conceded no contract had been signed.

Heard's lawyers pushed back against the agent's assertion during their cross-examination, suggesting the article was inconsequential as it came following a stream of bad publicity for Depp. They have cited a variety of factors - including reports of heavy drug and alcohol use, a lawsuit by a crew member in July 2018 who says he was punched on set by Depp, and the separate libel lawsuit and subsequent unsuccessful trial against The Sun in the UK - as things that damaged the actor's reputation more than Heard's article.

Mr Whigham tod the court that Depp was still able to work after the initial allegations were made against him in 2016. He was paid $8 million for City Of Lies, $10 million for Murder On The Orient Express, and $13.5 million for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - all of which were shot in 2017, albeit under contracts reached prior to the allegations made against him - he said.

But the Washington Post piece was "a first-person account, extremely impactful", Mr Whigham told the jury. After it was published, Depp had to take a pay cut - down to $3 million - to make the independent film Minimata - and the claimed deal for Pirates Of The Caribbean was lost, with producers deciding to make a change and create a leading role for Margot Robbie.

Mr Whigham said he tried to make contact with Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney's Sean Bailey about Depp reprising his role as Captain Jack Sparrow - "but I was not successful in rescuing Pirates for Johnny".

Entertainment lawyer Richard Marks and intellectual property specialist Doug Bania testified as expert witnesses, with both telling the court they had looked into the impact of the Washington Post's article on Depp's reputation and career.

Describing why Heard's column was different to previous stories that had been written about her allegations, Mr Marks said it was published in a "flagship journal, if you will, of American news" - not a "trade paper" nor a "rag" and the article was "geared to Hollywood".

Hollywood got the subject matter "loud and clear", he said and that the column was "devastating" to Depp.

Mr Bania said his research, based on Google analytics and "Q Scores" - which measure a celebrity's likeability - showed the article had negatively impacted Depp's reputation. "Less people liked him," following Heard's allegations and the Washington Post article, Mr Bania said, and coverage also became negative.

However, Heard's team raised questions about Mr Bania's evidence, saying the impact was greater following the initial allegations being made public in 2016 than after the 2018 column.

The former couple started dating after meeting on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015. They split up in May 2016, with Heard filing for a restraining order.

Depp is now suing Heard for $50m (£38.2m) in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Virginia, over the 2018 first-person article in which she refers to herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse".

Heard's column does not mention Depp by name, but he argues it is an example of "defamation by implication" because parts of the piece clearly refer to allegations of abuse she made in 2016 when she filed for divorce and obtained a temporary restraining order against him. Heard has issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

Depp strenuously denies allegations of abuse - and so far the trial has heard from several witnesses who claim Heard was physically abusive to him. However, Heard and her witnesses are yet to begin their testimony.

The trial has now entered its fourth week and is scheduled to last six weeks in total, with a week's break next week.

In the opening statements, the actor's lawyers said his ex was preparing for "the performance of a lifetime" during the trial, while her legal team said the case would expose the "real" person behind the "fame" and "pirate costumes".

SKY

 

[silentkiller187]

How is this case different to the UK case?

Although the UK libel trial might have seemed like it was a case of Depp v Heard, it wasn't – Depp was suing the publisher of The Sun newspaper, and Heard gave evidence as a witness.

This time round, it is Depp v Heard – specifically John C Depp II v Amber Laura Heard, as it is listed.

While the UK trial took place in front of a judge, the US case is being heard by a jury.

The judge overseeing the trial, Penney Azcarate, has imposed a series of rules to try to make sure things run smoothly in court, given the high-profile nature of the case and the fact Depp fans are in attendance.

Most significantly, neither Depp nor Heard are permitted to pose for photos or sign autographs in the courthouse or on the courthouse grounds – which is perhaps why you've not seen as much footage of the pair waving from the court steps, like we saw during the UK trial.

During the UK case, journalists were able to work from computers in an overflow courtroom – meaning we were able to cover proceedings live through written updates.

This isn't the case in the US – no computers allowed and phones must not be visible – so reporters inside the court are noting what happens during proceedings and then writing their reports or broadcast scripts afterwards.

SKY NEWS

 

[daytrader]

Amber Heard 'suffered PTSD caused by sexual and physical violence by Johnny Depp', psychologist tells court
With Johnny Depp's final witness taking the stand and his legal team resting their case, on the 13th day of his libel trial against ex-wife Amber Heard it was time for the actress's team to start presenting her account - but not before trying to get the trial dismissed first...

Amber Heard was physically and sexually abused by Johnny Depp and suffered PTSD as a result, jurors have been told by an expert psychologist - the first defence witness to take the stand as the actress begins to hit back with her side of the story.

Dr Dawn Hughes' testimony began after a bit of drama in the courtoom in Fairfax, Virginia, as Heard's team argued for the trial to be dismissed entirely - just moments after Depp's lawyers rested their case.

But Judge Penney Azcarate moved forward with the hearing, calling Dr Hughes to the stand as the actress's first witness on Tuesday.

Johnny Depp's case has now rested - meaning Amber Heard's lawyers are now calling their witnesses
After testimony earlier in the day from a financial expert - who estimated Depp had suffered lost earnings of about $40m - things took a darker turn as Dr Hughes told the court of Heard's reports of physical and sexual abuse.

This became quite graphic at times and Heard looked visibly upset as the psychologst went through the details.

Here are some of the key moments from the 13th day of testimony. Warning - this article contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse which some may find disturbing

• After Depp's final witness finished his testimony, Heard's team filed for the case to be dismissed - but the judge continued with the hearing
• 'She's the abuser,' Depp's lawyer Ben Chew told the court, about Heard, as he argued for the case to continue
• Forensic accountant Michael Spindler said he believed Depp 'suffered lost earnings of approximately $40m'
• Expert psychologist Dawn Hughes said Heard has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by Depp's abuse
• Dr Hughes detailed graphic claims of sexual abuse reported to her by Heard, including an incident during the infamous Australia trip
• Catch up on what has been said so far in our live reporting of the trial as it happens

Depp is suing his ex-wife for libel over a first-person column she wrote about domestic abuse in the Washington Post in December 2018 - even though it didn't mention his name.

Tuesday's hearing started with the remainder of a recorded testimony given by private nurse Erin Falati, who went through treatment notes she made during her time working with Heard, before moving on to forensic accountant Michael Spindler.

'Lost earnings of $40m'

Forensic accountant Michael Spindler testified as an expert witness in the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard libel trial

Taking the stand, Mr Spindler told the court he had been tasked with looking into Depp's estimated lost earnings as a result of Heard's allegations - analysing the period following the publication of the column up to 31 October 2020.

Based on previous testimony of an apparent $22.5m deal struck for a sixth Pirates Of The Caribbean film, plus workings based on Depp's earnings for other projects in 2017, Mr Spindler told the court he estimated the actor had missed out on about $40m.

His charts showed that Depp made a whopping $459m between 2009 and 2019.

After 13 days of testimony from witnesses for Depp's team - including the actor himself - Mr Spindler's evidence closed their case.

Now, it's time to hear Heard's account...

Judge Penney Azcarate is presiding over the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard libel trial

With the close of the plaintiff's case, it was time for the defendant's to begin. However, at one point it seemed there was a chance this might not happen, as Heard's lawyer Ben Rottenborn filed a motion to dismiss the trial.

He argued that Depp had failed to make his case as a matter of law and that no reasonable jury could find in his favour.

"She's the abuser," Depp's lawyer Ben Chew said as he spoke out against the motion in a heated speech.

Judge Azcarate told the lawyers that the standard for dismissing a case at this point in the trial is exceedingly high, and it should be allowed to move forward if Depp has provided even a "scintilla" of evidence backing up his claims.

She dismissed the motion to strike the case on two counts and said she would take advice on a third, but allowed the case to continue.

Warning: Graphic descriptions of sexual abuse allegations

Dr Dawn Hughes, a clinical and forensic psychologist, recalled Heard's reports of sexual abuse to the court
Dr Dawn Hughes was the first witness for Heard's team and she appeared in person to give her testimony in court.

She told jurors she spent a total of 29 hours evaluating Heard, and concluded that the actress suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by violence suffered at the hands of Depp, including multiple acts of sexual assault.

Her testimony contradicted that of a psychologist hired by Depp's lawyers, who previously told the court that Heard had "grossly exaggerated" symptoms of PTSD and actually suffered from "histrionic and borderline personality disorders".

Detailing allegations of sexual violence made to her by Heard against Depp, Dr Hughes told the court the actress had described several instances of sexual abuse - including one during their now infamous fight in Australia in 2015, during which the actress claimed her then husband penetrated her with a bottle.

The actress reported "going outside of her body and the only thing she was thinking is, 'oh God, I hope it's not the broken one'," Dr Hughes told the court. The trial has previously been told how bottles were broken during a fight between the pair in Australia - which also led to Depp severing his finger.

Heard could be seen blinking back tears, appearing visibly upset as the psychologist detailed the sexual abuse allegations.

Dr Hughes told jurors that many of the instances of abuse had been corroborated, including through apologies and admissions made by Depp to Heard and admissions he made to friends in text messages.

'I got eyes down there'

Depp strenuously denies physically attacking Heard and claims she was the aggressor in their relationship.

Dr Hughes, in her testimony, said the actress had acknowledged that she did at times push and shove Depp, call him names and insult his parenting. But there was a difference, she said - Depp's violence was intimidating and threatened Heard's safety.

Much of the violence, the psychologist claimed, stemmed from Depp's "obsessive jealousy". He insisted she avoid nude scenes, criticised her ambition and accused the actress of having affairs with co-stars such as Billy Bob Thornton and James Franco. He would also call her co-stars or directors and tell them he "had eyes" on set, the court was told.

Cross-examination of Dr Hughes will take place from Depp's team on Wednesday - with Heard herself expected to follow on the stand.

Heard and Depp pictured in January 2016, just a few months before their break-up. Pic: AP
The former couple started dating after meeting on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015. They split up in May 2016, with Heard filing for a restraining order.

Depp is now suing Heard for $50m (£38.2m) in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Virginia, over the 2018 first-person article in which she refers to herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse".

Heard's column does not mention Depp by name, but he argues it is an example of "defamation by implication" because parts of the piece clearly refer to allegations of abuse she made in 2016. Heard has issued a counterclaim for $100m (£76.4m).

The trial is now in its fourth week and is scheduled to last six weeks in total, with a week's break next week.

In the opening statements, the actor's lawyers said his ex was preparing for "the performance of a lifetime" during the trial, while her legal team said the case would expose the "real" person behind the "fame" and "pirate costumes".

https://news.sky.com/story/amber-he...johnny-depp-psychologist-tells-court-12604860

 

[MenInG]

Actress Amber Heard choked back tears as she told a court about the first time Johnny Depp allegedly slapped her - and said she knew she should leave him then but couldn't bring herself to do it.

Day 14 of Depp's multimillion-dollar libel trial marked the first time Heard has spoken in court. During an emotional few hours on the stand, the actress looked visibly upset as she made several shocking allegations of physical and sexual abuse against her ex-husband.

Beginning her testimony, she told the jury that the US trial has been "the most painful and difficult thing I've gone through" after sitting through days of Depp and other previous witnesses talking "about our lives".

Amber Heard
Telling the court about the first time she alleges the actor was physically abusive, Heard said he "slapped me across the face" after she laughed at one of his tattoos because she thought he was making a joke.

"He said, 'you think it's so funny b****? You think you are a funny b****?' and he slapped me again. It was clear it wasn't a joke."

She said she had "never been hit like that" before and "I knew you don't come back from that, and it broke my heart".

Here are some of the key moments from Heard's testimony, the 14th day of the trial. Warning - this article contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse which some may find disturbing

• Heard told the court Depp first hit her in 2013, slapping her three times in an incident she says 'changed my life'
• The Aquaman actress became emotional several times as she detailed incidents of alleged violence
• She also made a particularly shocking allegation of sexual abuse which she told the court happened as Depp was searching for drugs
• Heard also claimed that Depp once held his dog out of a moving car window
• The actress claimed the actor would vomit and lose control of his bodily functions due to drinking and drug use

At the start of her testimony, Heard told Fairfax County District Court in Virginia on Wednesday that the early days of her relationship with Depp were "a beautiful and strange time" and that she had "fallen head over heels in love" with the star.

However, she said the actor became controlling and first hit her over her comment on his tattoo. She said she should have left him at this point, telling the court: "I knew I couldn't just forgive him, right, because that means it will happen again."

But Heard said she returned a few days later after Depp apologised, telling her: "I'd rather cut my hand off than lay it on you."

"He had that way of talking, like poetry," she said.

The former couple met on the set of The Rum Diary, which was released in 2011, and had a "whirlwind romance", Heard told the court.

However, she said Depp began disappearing for periods of time and made her feel it was "really dirty to be an actor, never mind that he was one".

He would accuse her of "wh***ing" herself out and criticise her clothing, she said.

Describing a time Depp allegedly "backhanded" her, she said: "He wears a lot of rings... I remember feeling like my lip went into my teeth and a little bit of blood went on the wall."

The court was also shown images of bruising on Heard's arms.

"He just held me on the floor, screaming at me," she said. "I don't remember how many times he hit me in the face. I remember thinking to myself, how can this happen to me again?"

Heard later described an incident where Depp accused her of hiding his drugs and allegedly forcibly subjected her to a "cavity search".

"He ripped my dress," she told the court, becoming visibly upset. "He's grabbing my breasts... he rips my underwear off."

"I didn't know what to do," she says. "I just stood there."

During another fight, Depp held their dog outside the window of a moving car, she told the court.

Heard was emotional as she told the jury: "I struggle to find the words to describe how painful this is...

"This is horrible for me. To sit here for weeks and relive everything... hear people that I knew - some well, some not - my ex-husband, speak about our lives in the way that they have," she said.

She began by speaking about her childhood, moving to Los Angeles, and meeting Depp for the first time.

At the time their romance began, Depp's split from his former partner Vanessa Paradis, the mother of his children, was not public. Depp told Heard "the world would blame" her and think she was a "homewrecker, even though I had nothing to do with it", the actress told the court.

Referring to claims by Depp that she would not allow him to remove his own boots on returning home, she said this "obviously made an impression on him", and she liked showing love towards the actor. "But he could certainly take off his own boots if he wanted to," she added.

She said Depp's behaviour when he was drinking would see him spiral: "He'd pass out in his own vomit, he'd lose control of his body... everyone would clean up after him, I cleaned up after him. This man lost control of his bowels and I cleaned up after him."

Heard's testimony began after Depp's lawyers rested their case on Tuesday. He alleges that Heard libelled him when she claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Heard's first witness, a clinical and forensic psychologist, took the stand before her, telling the court she believed the actress suffered PTSD as a result of physical and sexual abuse by Depp.

Her testimony became quite graphic at times and Heard looked visibly upset as the psychologist talked about the violence she allegedly suffered at the hands of her former husband.

Sexual assaults included being forced to perform oral sex and having Depp penetrate her with a liquor bottle, Dr Dawn Hughes told the court.

Her testimony contradicts that of a psychologist hired by Depp's lawyers, who claim Heard faked her PTSD and suffered from borderline and histrionic personality disorders.

'Let's drown her before we burn her'

Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for $50m for defamation. She, in turn, is countersuing him for $100m, saying the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor smeared her by calling her a liar.

Over four days of testimony, Depp said that Heard was the abuser in the relationship and once threw a vodka bottle that severed his finger.

In their cross-examination, Heard's attorneys introduced text messages and audio recordings of Depp using graphic language and insulting Heard.

"Let's drown her before we burn her," he allegedly said in one text message to actor Paul Bettany, adding "I will f*** her burnt corpse afterward to make sure she is dead".

The trial continues - with Heard set to return to the stand on Thursday.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Images of actor Johnny Depp allegedly passed out after lengthy drug binges have been shown in a US court as his ex-wife Amber Heard testified for a second day.

Today is the 15th day of the multimillion-dollar libel trial brought by Depp, with Heard detailing alleged sexual and physical abuse she claims she suffered at the hands of the Pirates of the Caribbean star.

Sponsored linkImages of actor Johnny Depp allegedly passed out after lengthy drug binges have been shown in a US court as his ex-wife Amber Heard testified for a second day.

Today is the 15th day of the multimillion-dollar libel trial brought by Depp, with Heard detailing alleged sexual and physical abuse she claims she suffered at the hands of the Pirates of the Caribbean star.

SKY

 

[silentkiller187]

Jealous Depp kicked me over Franco 'affair' - Heard

Amber Heard says a perceived affair with fellow actor James Franco led to ex-husband Johnny Depp assaulting her on a cross-country flight in 2014.

Taking the stand for a second day as part of a multi-million dollar defamation trial, Ms Heard cast Mr Depp as deeply troubled by jealousy and drugs.

Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard for $50m (£40m) over an article in which she said she was a victim of abuse.

She is countersuing for $100m.

On Thursday, Ms Heard alleged that much of her ex-husband's anger was caused by his belief that she was seeing James Franco, whom she said Mr Depp "hated".

Mr Franco starred alongside Ms Heard in Pineapple Express and The Adderall Diaries.

That jealousy, she claimed, led an angry Mr Depp to repeatedly question her on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles, in which he allegedly kicked her.

"He just kicked me in the back. I fell on the floor," she said. "No one said anything. No one did anything. It's like you could hear a pin drop on that plane."

The court also heard a recording allegedly of Mr Depp on the flight, which Ms Heard said showed him "howling" while suffering from the effects of drug use.

Following the incident, Ms Heard said he met her in New York to apologise and to prove he was sober and committed to change.

Jurors have repeatedly heard about the incident on the flight. In his own testimony, Mr Depp said that he took Oxycodone pills and fell asleep to avoid her.

During her testimony, Mr Depp could sometimes be seen closing his eyes or donning his sunglasses. At one point, he shook his head quietly.

Ms Heard alleged she had the fight with Mr Depp after an argument about his daughter Lily-Rose, who was about 14 at the time.

"She was so young," Ms Heard said. "I felt protective."

Ms Heard also recounted exchanging wedding vows in Mr Depp's mother's living room, followed by a ceremony on his private island.

"It was complicated but he was the love of my life," she said of her desire to marry him.

Detailing a discussion over a prenuptial agreement with Mr Depp, she claimed that Mr Depp told her that "the only way out of this is death".

"I didn't care either way, but I did feel it [the agreement] would eliminate suspicion or doubt, and it would make things easier," she added.

Earlier in the trial, Mr Depp claimed he never struck Ms Heard, or any women. Instead, he said she was often abusive herself and had a "a need for conflict

At several points in her testimony, Ms Heard claimed that Mr Depp attempted to control her career, becoming angry at her efforts to find new roles.

These arguments, she added, would often end in Mr Depp taking things "too far" by striking her or breaking things in their home before leaving and eventually apologising.

His abuse "was always so much worse when I went to work," she said.

"He would never have to deal with the clean-up. He would never have to deal with the destruction, or see me or the house that he'd destroyed," she added.

Before she wore dresses to red carpet events, she said she would check for bruises on her body first.

In one apology e-mail shown to jurors, Mr Depp described himself as "savage" who was sorry for the disappointment he caused. She said this was "typical" of his apologies.

"I was encouraged because I thought it meant he could really hurt me," she added. "Sometimes I didn't think he understood how much he could hurt me."

The defamation cases stems from a December 2018 opinion piece in the Washington Post, in which she said she was a victim of abuse but did not name Mr Depp.

His lawyers have said that the piece "incalculably" damaged his career prospects.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-61339174

 

[MenInG]

Actress Amber Heard broke down on the stand as she recounted a trip to Australia that she said resulted in three days of alleged extreme violence and abuse at the hands of her former husband, Johnny Depp.

On the 15th day of the multimillion-dollar libel trial brought against her by Depp, Heard detailed alleged sexual and physical abuse she claims she suffered during her relationship with the Pirates of the Caribbean star, as well as one later incident when she said she feared for her life.

Spoiler

Warning - this article contains graphic descriptions of physical and sexual abuse which some may find disturbing

Heard, on the stand for a second day, became increasingly distressed - at one point saying "I don't want to do this anymore" and "I can't believe I'm having to do this" - when she told the Virginia court how Depp threw her onto a countertop and penetrated her with a bottle during a trip to Australia in March 2015.

"I kept thinking, I hope it's not broken," she said, in reference to the item inside her. She said the actor "had the bottle inside of me and was shoving [it] inside of me over and over again".

Sobbing, Heard continued: "I convinced myself that the bottle wasn't broken or it would be a lot worse."

She added the "heartbreak" hurt the most, because "we'd just got married".

Heard told the court the trigger for the argument had been Depp's jealousy over her various male co-stars, including British actor Eddie Redmayne who she played opposite in The Danish Girl.

Although Depp refused to look at Heard throughout most of her time on the stand, during this part of her testimony he appeared to be listening intently and removed his glasses during Heard's last graphic description.

Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for $50m, claiming she defamed him in a 2018 article she wrote for The Washington Post in which she said she was a victim of domestic abuse.

He alleges he was the victim and has lost millions of dollars in work and been exiled from Hollywood as a result of her claims.

Heard is countersuing him for $100m, saying the actor smeared her by calling her a liar.

It was during this infamous Australia trip that the tip of Depp's finger became severed - something both sides agree on, although Depp maintains she threw a bottle at him and cut it off - and he used the injured digit to scrawl demeaning graffiti about Heard in blood and paint on a mirror and lampshades.

Photos of the alleged damage to the house was shown to the court, including a damaged ping pong table which she claims Depp through her onto, and drips of blood on one of the beds.

Heard also described an incident she alleges took place in December 2015 in LA, which she said left her with a busted lip and bruising, as well as hair torn from her scalp after, she claims, Depp dragged her along the floor by her hair. Photos of her alleged injuries were shared with the jury.

She described Depp "pummelling her" and "pounding the back of my head with his fist" while screaming that he hated her, at which point she said: "I got really still and it felt quiet in my body. And I thought - this is how I die, he's going to kill me now and he won't even have realised it."

Shortly after the alleged attack Heard says she appeared on The Late Late Show With James Corden, and damage to her face and head had to be concealed by the make up artist.

Depp and Heard had been due to spend their first Christmas as newlyweds at Depp's private island with their families, but Heard said: "After they saw my face no one wanted to go to the island with Johnny, they wanted me to leave him."

She alleges that during the festive stay another sexual assault occurred, when she angered Depp by commenting about wine he had spilt on her trousers.

The key moments from Heard's testimony on Thursday, the 15th day of the trial:

• Heard said she began "negotiating" her career with Depp and stopped taking jobs with romantic scenes
• Depp allegedly sent threatening texts to Heard telling her "don't test me"
• While filming in London, Depp would go on drink binges and miss work - including one incident where he had to be carried home "like a baby" by his security
• Heard said joining Depp on a detox on his private island was a "phenomenally dumb idea" as he accused her of having a man in the house and slapped her while crying
• Heard was accused of having an affair with Danish Girl co-star Eddie Redmayne
• Depp "hated" her working relationship with James Franco on The Adderall Diaries
• Depp said he would "carve up [her] face" while holding a broken bottle
• She found her nightgown, a wedding present, shredded and wrapped around pieces of raw meat during the Australia incident
• Court shown images of Heard with bruising and busted lip

Depp apparently refused to sign a prenup with his then-fiancee ahead of their 2015 wedding, reportedly telling her: "The only way out of this is death." She said that was a phrase she heard many times during the relationship.

Heard told the court in Fairfax she felt "like the luckiest woman alive" after the actor proposed, presenting her with a "massive diamond" ring.

She began to think about a pre-nuptial agreement, however, Heard said Depp was strongly against the idea.

"He told me, 'the only way out of this is death'," the actress told the court.

After the couple married, and when she tried to arrange a post-nuptial agreement, Depp rang Heard's lawyer and screamed at the legal representative before firing her, the Aquaman actress said.

The court was also shown images of Depp, allegedly taken after he went on various drug binges, including one "three-day bender".

Heard later testified that Depp's drug addiction was "maintained" with prescription pills while he finished filming Black Mass in 2015 before he went to detox on his private island.

Heard began Thursday's testimony by describing a press trip to Tokyo, where she claims Depp called her a "nagging b****".

She said it was shortly after she met Depp's children, Lily-Rose and Jack.

The couple had a loud argument in their hotel room during the tour, which she was very concerned about as it was in the room next to the children.

During this time he called her other "awful things" which she did not tell the court, adding: "I don't think they need to be repeated here."

Later, Heard said she was "so ashamed" of the names the couple would scream at each other: "It was so awful.

"It felt like nothing I could do... would make him stop hitting me."

Jealousy and career control

In a day of graphic descriptions, Heard also described the moment she says Depp kicked her to the ground during a private flight between Boston and LA in May 2014, in a dispute she said started over Depp's jealousy of her co-star at the time, James Franco.

The court was also played an audio recording which the Heard says she recorded on the flight, and which she says captured Depp howling and moaning incoherently.

The jury was also told that Depp attempted to control Heard's acting career, leading to her only accepting parts that required "minimal make-up" and didn't have romantic scenes . Heard described it as a "constant battle and negotiation" with Depp, adding that whenever she saw a sex scene within a script, "I'd look at it and I'd feel my gut tighten."

On Wednesday, the actress choked back tears as she told the court about the first time Depp slapped her and said she knew she should leave him then, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

The trial now breaks for a week and continues on Monday 16 May.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

'I begged him to stop the press machine'

Amber Heard says in the summer of 2016, Johnny Depp asked her to get back with him and go on tour with him. She says she refused.

However, she says she did meet with Depp as he was putting negative information out to the media about her - she says Depp told her he was doing this. She says he agreed to ask his team to "back off" if she agreed to "drop charges".

She goes on: "I had to break the TRO [temporary restraining order] in order to beg him to stop the press machine". She goes on: " I couldn't live my life, I was being dropped from commercial opportunities, people were turning on me, I was dropped from a campaign I was working on... I had never been inundated with that much press attention."

Amber Heard breaks down and sobs

We hear another audio recording in which the couple are discussing an incident during which 911 were called. Based on previous evidence, the one incident in which we know the police were called was in May 2016.

Amber Heard says she was explaining to Johnny Depp that she hadn't co-operated with police a the time and that she didn't want to hurt him. She says "I just didn't want him calling me a liar", at this point she breaks down and sobs, saying "Just don't say this isn't real, because I'm living proof of it".

In the recording we hear Heard telling Depp: "I never see myself as a victim".

SKY

 

[daytrader]

Depp v Heard: Actor's lawyer questions his ex-wife about love notes and suggests she assaulted him with bottle
Depp's lawyer questioned why Amber Heard wrote a series of affectionate notes to the actor in the months after she said she was assaulted.

Johnny Depp's legal team has tried to discredit Amber Heard by questioning the veracity of her claim that the actor sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle.

Cross-examining Heard in court in Fairfax County, Virginia, his lawyer Camille Vasquez suggested it was actually her who had attacked Depp with a bottle.

Depp, 58, is suing his ex-wife for $50m (£40m), saying she defamed him when she claimed in a newspaper article she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Heard, 36, has countersued for $100m, arguing that he smeared her by calling her a liar.

Heard accused of tipping off journalists - read latest court updates

The questioning on Tuesday was particularly heated over a fight the couple had in Australia in March 2015, shortly after they tied the knot, while Depp was filming the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

It was during that incident that Heard says she was sexually assaulted.

Depp himself has insisted he was the victim and he lost the tip of his middle finger when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him.

Ms Vasquez questioned why Heard never tried to get medical attention, even though she said her feet were cut by broken glass and she was bleeding after the attack.

"You're the one who assaulted someone with a bottle in Australia, isn't that right, Ms Heard?" Ms Vasquez asked.

Heard responded: "I didn't assault Johnny in Australia. I didn't assault Johnny ever."

Heard said she did not cause the finger injury.

Also during the former couple's defamation trial on Tuesday, Depp's lawyers read entries from a journal that Heard said the pair kept to share love notes.

Vasquez questioned why Heard wrote a series of affectionate notes to Depp in the months after she said she was assaulted.

Heard has said she believed Depp had hit rock bottom after the Australia fight and was committed to sobriety.

She wrote in May 2015, two months after Depp's finger injury, that: "True love isn't about just the madness of passion or instead picking the safety of peace. No, it's about both."

"I still, perhaps more than ever, want to rip you apart, devour you and savour the taste," she added.

In another excerpt after their July 2015 honeymoon aboard the Orient Express train, Heard said she "couldn't imagine a more gorgeous honeymoon", and added: "I love you more and more every passing day."

Audio recordings played in court

The court was also played an audio recording in which Heard can be heard telling Depp she hit him, but didn't punch him. She said: "I didn't punch you babe." They then argue about the bathroom door, which Depp says he was hit in the head with.

Ms Vasquez asked Heard: "You said on that recording you hit Mr Depp?"

Heard replied: "Yes."

Ms Vasquez said: "You accused him of being a baby?"

Heard said yes, she called him a baby after he hit her and pushed past her while she was barricading the door.

Another audio clip was played that seems to be from later in the couple's argument about the bathroom door. Ms Vasquez said: "You punched the door into his head didn't you?"

Heard said she did not, but that Depp had pushed the door into her toes, hurting her, and she responded on instinct.

Heard bought Depp a knife as a gift

Ms Vasquez also showed jurors a knife Heard bought Depp as a gift in 2012.

Heard, best known for her role in the Aquaman movie, said Depp had already turned violent by then and often lashed out at her when he was drunk or using drugs.

"This is the knife you gave to the man who would get drunk and violent toward you?" Ms Vasquez said to Heard, who responded that she did not think he would stab her with it.

The trial continues.

https://news.sky.com/story/depp-v-h...ggests-she-assaulted-him-with-bottle-12615568

 

[daytrader]

Depp v Heard: Actress's sister says she saw couple hit each other in 2015 fight
Whitney Heard Henriquez was giving evidence in the high-profile libel trial playing out in Fairfax, Virginia. She said that in March 2015 she saw Johnny Depp and Amber Heard strike each other during a fight.

Amber Heard's sister has described a fight in which she said the actress and Johnny Depp hit each other.

Giving evidence in the high-profile libel trial, Whitney Heard Henriquez said Heard was shouting down at Depp from a mezzanine over a kitchen in March 2015.

Ms Henriquez said she went to try and calm down her sister and described how Depp lobbed a can which hit another person in the room before Depp ran "up the stairs".

Amber Heard's former friend giving evidence - follow live updates

Ms Henriquez said: "I'm facing Amber and [Depp] comes up behind me and strikes me in the back.

"I heard Amber say 'don't hit my f***ing sister'. She smacks him, lands one."

She added: "Johnny had grabbed Amber by the hair with one hand and was whacking her repeatedly in the face with the other."

While giving evidence previously, Heard admitted striking her ex-husband.

Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50m (£40m), saying she defamed him when she claimed in a newspaper article she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Heard has countersued for $100m (£81m), arguing that he smeared her by calling her a liar.

Depp claims he never struck Heard and that he was the victim of abuse from his ex-wife.

Another one of Wednesday's witnesses was Melanie Inglessis, who was Heard's makeup artist.

She described how she covered up injuries on the actress's face for an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden in December 2015.

"We covered the discolouration, the bruises, with slightly heavier concealer," Ms Inglessis said.

Raquel Pennington also gave evidence - she described herself as a friend of both Depp and Heard but now says she has drifted away.

Ms Pennington said Depp referred to his "alternate self" as "the monster".

Ms Pennington said: "In the beginning [of the relationship], I wasn't worried.

"Towards the end when the physical abuse was more evident, I was worried. I was worried for her physical safety.

"I was worried that when he turned, he might actually do something that was worse than he ever intended."

Ms Pennington said she saw Heard with hair ripped from her head in 2016, and that after a 2015 trip to Australia Heard returned with cuts on her feet and arms.

She was also asked to describe a picture of Heard taken in December 2015, which showed the actress with bruised eyes and a swollen nose.

Asked directly if she ever saw Depp strike, kick or throw anything at Heard, the witness said she did not.

https://news.sky.com/story/depp-v-h...-couple-hit-each-other-in-2015-fight-12616257

 

[MenInG]

Amber Heard's loss of earnings could be as high as $50m due to negative statements made by Johnny Depp and his attorney, an industry expert has told her libel trial.

Entertainment industry expert Kathryn Arnold made the claim as it emerged British supermodel Kate Moss, who dated Depp in the 1990s, is expected to appear in court by videolink on Wednesday.

Depp is suing Heard over an article she wrote in the Washington Post in 2018, which his lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her while they were together.

Heard is countersuing Depp for $100m (£80m).

This trial is taking place in Fairfax County, Virginia, after Depp lost a similar defamation case in the UK in July 2020.

Ms Arnold, who was being questioned by Heard's legal team on Monday, used the example of "comparable actors" to measure what the 36-year-old's career trajectory might have been without the negative statements made by Depp and his attorney Adam Waldman following the Hollywood couple's split in 2016.

Ms Arnold said she chose actors who played superhero characters in their breakout roles, were good-looking, were a similar age, could do stunts and had good acting skills.

US actor Johnny Depp departs at the end of the day during the 50 million US dollar Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, 19 May 2022. Johnny Depp's 50 million US dollar defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard started on 10 April.

The five stars she compared Heard to were Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, Ana de Armas, Zendaya and Chris Pine.

Ms Arnold says all of them were on an "upward trajectory" and "it would be very reasonable to think (Heard's) career would have been on (a similar) upward trajectory".

She said all of the actors she mentioned had worked with numerous big brands since their initial success.

However, she says Heard hasn't even managed to keep working for her one big brand, with cosmetic company L'Oréal having paused her appearance in its campaigns.

She added that Heard was looking at losses of "as much as $8m (£6m) over time" due to loss of endorsement contracts.

Ms Arnold also said she thinks Heard made around a $2m (£1.6m) loss from her role as Mera in Aquaman due to not being able to negotiate a higher free for the second film.

She added Aquaman star Jason Momoa negotiated his salary up from $3m (£2.4m) to $4m (£3.2m) for the first film, and to $15m (£12m) for the second movie.

In comparison she says Heard's salary was negotiated from $1m (£795,000) to $2m (£1.6m).

She says Heard had "no leverage" to increase her pay as she was "fighting to keep the role".

The industry expert added said she thought "over the course of five years it's reasonable to think (Heard) would have been in one film per year for a minimum of $4m (£3.2m) per film... and so she would have lost at least $20m (£16m) in earnings".

Ms Arnold concluded that Heard's combined loss of earnings across film, TV and endorsements was between $45m (£36m) and $50m (£40m).

Earlier on Monday, hand surgeon Richard Moore said Depp could not have lost the tip of his middle finger the way he told jurors it happened in his civil lawsuit against Heard.

The finger injury, which occurred in a March 2015 fight in Australia between Depp and Heard, has been one of several key points of dispute in the lawsuit.

Depp says he was injured when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him.

Mr Moore told the jury on Monday that Depp had said his palm was down on a bar when it was struck by the bottle.

Moore, who did not treat the Pirates of the Caribbean star, testified that Depp's description is unlikely, in large part because his fingernail remained intact.

The latest developments come as closing arguments are expected in the trial on Friday.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Amber Heard's team will not call Johnny Depp to the stand, a source close to Ms Heard said, a strategic U-turn in the last days of the high-profile trial.

Ms Heard's team had planned to call Mr Depp for more questioning on Monday, but changed course without explanation at midday.

Mr Depp, 58, sued his ex-wife for $50m (£40m) for a column she wrote in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. Ms Heard, 36, has countersued.

The case is expected to wrap this week.

British supermodel Kate Moss, a former girlfriend of Mr Depp, is among witnesses expected to take the stand in the remaining days of the defamation trial.

On Monday, the court in Fairfax, Virginia, heard from several witnesses called by Ms Heard's team, including psychologist David Spiegel.

Dr Spiegel testified that Mr Depp "has behaviours that are consistent with someone that both has substance use disorder as well as behaviours of someone who is a perpetrator of intimate partner violence".

About 40-60% of intimate partner violence is committed under the influence of alcohol or substance use disorders, Dr Spiegel told jurors.

Mr Depp's lawyers sought to undermine this testimony on cross-examination, highlighting that Dr Spiegel had reached his conclusions without any direct contact with Mr Depp.

Also on Monday, a hand surgeon testified it was unlikely that Mr Depp's finger was cut during a fight with Ms Heard in Australia in the way that he has described.

Mr Depp has said the tip of his middle finger was severed when Ms Heard threw a vodka bottle at him.

The jury saw graphic images of Mr Depp's injured finger as Dr Richard Moore said that the damage was more consistent with being pinched by a closing door.

Dr Moore did not physically examine Mr Depp at the time of the injury.

Ms Heard's team is expected to rest its case early this week before Mr Depp's team takes its final chance to sway the jury.

The testimony from the two medical doctors on Monday was just the latest in a long line of competing expert testimony. One psychologist, called by Mr Depp's team, testified that Ms Heard suffers from two personality disorders.

Another, called by Ms Heard's team, rejected this finding and said instead that Ms Heard had post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ms Heard and Mr Depp have each testified in the weeks-long battle, offering starkly different accounts of their brief, tempestuous marriage.

Ms Heard claimed Mr Depp was prone to alcohol and drug binges, easily triggered by feelings of jealousy and often consumed by violent rages.

Mr Depp, in turn, alleged he was the victim of Ms Heard's volatile moods, telling jurors he routinely endured her verbal, emotional and physical abuse.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Kate Moss has said Johnny Depp "never" pushed her down any stairs, contrary to rumours discussed by Amber Heard during the ex-couple's defamation trial in the US.

The British supermodel appeared via videolink before Depp clashed with Heard's lawyer during a dramatic return to the witness box.

Depp is suing Heard over an article she wrote in the Washington Post in 2018, which his lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her while they were together.

Heard is countersuing Depp for $100m (£80m).

Moss, 48, was asked to give evidence by Depp's legal team, who appeared to celebrate when her name was mentioned by Heard during the trial last week.

The actress had described hearing a rumour that Depp had pushed Moss down a flight of stairs.

Speaking from Gloucestershire, Moss said the allegation over the incident at the GoldenEye resort in Jamaica was not true.

US actor Johnny Depp departs at the end of the day during the 50 million US dollar Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, 19 May 2022. Johnny Depp's 50 million US dollar defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard started on 10 April.

"We were leaving the room and Johnny left the room before I did and there had been a rainstorm," she said.

"As I left the room I slid down the stairs and I hurt my back and I screamed because I didn't know what had happened to me.

"[Depp] came running back to help me and carried me to my room and got me medical attention."

Benjamin Chew, Depp's lawyer, asked Moss if the Hollywood actor had ever pushed her down stairs.

"No, he never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs," she replied.

Moss's evidence at Fairfax County District Court in Virginia lasted barely two minutes.

Depp said the supermodel's account of what happened was correct when he was questioned later on Wednesday, adding that Heard "took the story and turned it into a very ugly incident, all in her mind".

He added: "There was never a moment where I pushed Kate down any set of stairs, yet she's spewed this three times..."

Asked under cross-examination what it was like listening to Heard's testimony, Depp said: "It's insane to hear heinous accusations of violence, sexual violence, that she's attributed to me, that she's accused me of.

"I don't think anyone enjoys having to split themselves open and tell the truth, but there are times when one just simply has to because it's gotten out of control."

He then paused before saying: "Horrible. Ridiculous. Humiliating. Ludicrous. Painful. Savage. Unimaginably brutal, cruel, and all… false. All false."

When Heard's lawyer Benjamin Rottenborn asked Depp to provide a simple "yes or no" answer to one of his questions, the actor replied: "I can't please you with a yes or a no every time."

The actor also denied that he had ever referred to women as "rightfully mine" before the court was shown text messages, seemingly sent by Depp to his manager, with the phrase included.

Mr Depp suggested that occasionally people's personal phones could be taken and "screwed with" and later labelled the message as "grotesque".

He appeared to smirk as Mr Rottenborn finished his questioning and returned to his seat.

Depp was also asked about his honeymoon with Heard in August 2015, after which she accused him of being violent on the trip.

Depp says there were times when the journey on the Orient Express from Thailand to Singapore was "agreeable".

But he said there were other times she would "start the rant".

"At one point... I don't remember it lasting long... I took a pretty good shot to the face, to the eye... so I had a bit of a shiner," he tells the court. "It all ended and then everything got fine again."

He said he did not recall if Heard apologised.

https://news.sky.com/story/depp-v-h...icked-me-or-threw-me-down-any-stairs-12621264

 

[Rana]

This is a messy case.

I would hate to be the jury on this one. Depp may lose again even though Amber has been exposed as a liar!

 

[sweep_shot]

This is a messy case.

I would hate to be the jury on this one. Depp may lose again even though Amber has been exposed as a liar!

This is the issue with modern world. Justice system tends to be biased toward women.

If Amber wins this, it again shows how faulty the justice system is.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

This is a messy case.

I would hate to be the jury on this one. Depp may lose again even though Amber has been exposed as a liar!

Not just a liar, but a really nasty person. Some of her telephone exchanges with Depp were played in court, and she came across as really scornful and was cackling like a witch at the misery she was causing.

 

[Rana]

Not just a liar, but a really nasty person. Some of her telephone exchanges with Depp were played in court, and she came across as really scornful and was cackling like a witch at the misery she was causing.

Her lies and inconstancy with recollection of events has been brutally exposed twice by Camille Vasquez.

Lies exposed:

-The $7M not being paid to the charities as mentioned by Heard in a tv show
-TMZ being leaked the video and inside scoop of the TRO by the original source (Amber Heard only)
-Broken nose lie
-Bruised face lie
-punching Depp in the face because of Kate Moss rumour lie
-Being afraid of Depp lie (she wanted to see him after filing the TRO)
-THE OP-ED not being about Depp lie )

How exactly will the jury deliberate Amber Heard as not guilty?

 

[Rana]

This is the issue with modern world. Justice system tends to be biased toward women.

If Amber wins this, it again shows how faulty the justice system is.

Apparently, Amber will be not guilty as long as one single event of ‘abuse’ is proven before the jury, and the op Ed piece in that case will not be considered as a defamatory piece.

I personally think that’s preposterous! Depp’s lawyers are 5* lawyers, surely they wouldn’t take this case in the first place had they known the chances of proving 0% abuse took place by Depp towards Amber are near impossible especially with the evidence used in the UK trial which was sufficient for a Depp loss.

However, I think that without an iota of doubt, Depp’s lawyers have proven to the Jury that the Op Ed was not a general piece on Amber’s behalf that wasn’t targeting Johnny Depp, and they have proven that the piece has caused Depp significant financial loss.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Apparently, Amber will be not guilty as long as one single event of ‘abuse’ is proven before the jury, and the op Ed piece in that case will not be considered as a defamatory piece.

I personally think that’s preposterous! Depp’s lawyers are 5* lawyers, surely they wouldn’t take this case in the first place had they known the chances of proving 0% abuse took place by Depp towards Amber are near impossible especially with the evidence used in the UK trial which was sufficient for a Depp loss.

However, I think that without an iota of doubt, Depp’s lawyers have proven to the Jury that the Op Ed was not a general piece on Amber’s behalf that wasn’t targeting Johnny Depp, and they have proven that the piece has caused Depp significant financial loss.

I havent been watching this trial but in todays metoo movement world, its unlikely she will lose this case.

But Depp will continue making huge movies with huge paypackets while Heard will not be heard of again in the film industry.

 

[Rana]

I havent been watching this trial but in todays metoo movement world, its unlikely she will lose this case.

But Depp will continue making huge movies with huge paypackets while Heard will not be heard of again in the film industry.

That’s the problem, I don’t think Depp will be able to make big movies ever again unless he is the one funding them through his money. Disney have cut off ties with him, and they most likely will not bring him back for the next Pirates. Warner Bros might be his only resort as they are rumoured to bring him back for Fantastic Beasts 4.

As for the MeToo movement, well that clearly has taken a back seat during this trial I can assure you. The ultra feminists are sitting on the fences this time as the Depp support is too overwhelming. Everyone who speaks in favour of Heard is being shut down and cancelled at an alarming pace!

Right at this moment, I believe Amber Heard’s safest option is to lose this case and go underground for a few years, and then return to Hollywood in negative roles rather than lead roles. There is nothing for her to gain here, the Jury most likely will dismiss her bogus counterclaim even if she is proven not guilty!

 

[Rana]

I get the impression that the #MeToo supporters and those who wanted to crucify guys like Weinstein, Epstein realised that this time they have been mislead by a vindictive, manipulative woman in the form of Heard. They are not coming out in full force on this one! The protests outside of Virginia court are squadrons of women in support of Depp hurling abuse at Heard.

This case may turn the tide on #MeToo and also become a landmark for Men who have been victims of genuine abusive spouses

 

[Firebat]

Amber Heard: It's easy to forget I'm a human being

Amber Heard says she felt humiliated and had faced hundreds of daily death threats after testifying at Johnny Depp's trial against her.

Speaking on the final day of the trial before closing statements, the actress said: "Perhaps it's easy to forget, but I am a human being."

Mr Depp, 58, is suing Ms Heard, 36, over an article she wrote in which she said she was the victim of abuse.

He has repeatedly denied her claims.

Over more than a month of testimony, jurors have been presented with starkly different versions of incidents that took place throughout the couple's troubled two years together.

Both actors accuse the other of being the aggressor in the relationship and have called witnesses to testify on their behalf. A number of the witnesses called by Mr Depp's team have directly contradicted Ms Heard's claims.

"I know how many people will come out and say whatever for him," Ms Heard said in court on Thursday. "That's his power. That's why I wrote the op-ed. I was speaking to that phenomenon."

Ms Heard's testimony on Wednesday also led to a tense exchange with Camille Vasquez - Mr Depp's now viral lawyer - over an image of spilled wine. It is one of several pictures Ms Heard has presented, allegedly from a huge fight the couple had in 2016 which ended with Mr Depp assaulting her.

At one point, Ms Heard turned to jurors and claimed the photos had been redacted or edited by Mr Depp's lawyers to benefit her ex-husband's case.

"I'd appreciate if you wouldn't be making arguments to the jury," Ms Vasquez said sternly. "I didn't ask you about anything."

Throughout her testimony, Ms Heard repeatedly denied accusations she was lying or misled jurors during the trial.

Her testimony, she added, had led to "hundreds" of death threats on a daily basis and forced her to "relive the trauma" of her marriage.

"This is horrible... this is humiliating for any human being to go through and perhaps it's easy to forget, but I am a human being," she said. "As I stand here today, I can't have a career. I can't even have people associate with me because of the threats and the attacks that they will have to endure."

Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard for $50m (£40m) for a 2018 comment article she wrote in the Washington Post in which she said she was the victim of abuse.

While he wasn't named, his attorneys have said it "incalculably" damaged his career. She has countersued him for $100m.

Closing arguments will begin on Friday, followed by jury deliberations.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-61599667

 

[Rana]

Amber Heard: It's easy to forget I'm a human being

Amber Heard says she felt humiliated and had faced hundreds of daily death threats after testifying at Johnny Depp's trial against her.

Speaking on the final day of the trial before closing statements, the actress said: "Perhaps it's easy to forget, but I am a human being."

Mr Depp, 58, is suing Ms Heard, 36, over an article she wrote in which she said she was the victim of abuse.

He has repeatedly denied her claims.

Over more than a month of testimony, jurors have been presented with starkly different versions of incidents that took place throughout the couple's troubled two years together.

Both actors accuse the other of being the aggressor in the relationship and have called witnesses to testify on their behalf. A number of the witnesses called by Mr Depp's team have directly contradicted Ms Heard's claims.

"I know how many people will come out and say whatever for him," Ms Heard said in court on Thursday. "That's his power. That's why I wrote the op-ed. I was speaking to that phenomenon."

Ms Heard's testimony on Wednesday also led to a tense exchange with Camille Vasquez - Mr Depp's now viral lawyer - over an image of spilled wine. It is one of several pictures Ms Heard has presented, allegedly from a huge fight the couple had in 2016 which ended with Mr Depp assaulting her.

At one point, Ms Heard turned to jurors and claimed the photos had been redacted or edited by Mr Depp's lawyers to benefit her ex-husband's case.

"I'd appreciate if you wouldn't be making arguments to the jury," Ms Vasquez said sternly. "I didn't ask you about anything."

Throughout her testimony, Ms Heard repeatedly denied accusations she was lying or misled jurors during the trial.

Her testimony, she added, had led to "hundreds" of death threats on a daily basis and forced her to "relive the trauma" of her marriage.

"This is horrible... this is humiliating for any human being to go through and perhaps it's easy to forget, but I am a human being," she said. "As I stand here today, I can't have a career. I can't even have people associate with me because of the threats and the attacks that they will have to endure."

Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard for $50m (£40m) for a 2018 comment article she wrote in the Washington Post in which she said she was the victim of abuse.

While he wasn't named, his attorneys have said it "incalculably" damaged his career. She has countersued him for $100m.

Closing arguments will begin on Friday, followed by jury deliberations.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-61599667

I also think the abuse against Amber is too much even if she has dug this hole for herself.

This is why I sincerely hope for her own sake that she loses this case so that the Depp supporters who are baying for her blood can just let her go after a few weeks whilst Depp can get back to his life as a movie star.

Amber can always use this negativity in the future as a super hero villain or other negative roles. At least she can work and make a living somehow

 

[Savak]

Depp has won in the Court of Public Opinion. That was his real aim from this trial, to be able to tell his story out there in full public force and to rehabilitate his image.

 

[James]

<b>Jury in Depp-Heard trial sent to consider its verdicts</b>

<I>Heard, who claims Depp physically assaulted her, is being sued by him for $50m (£40m) over an article she wrote in which she described herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse". Heard has countersued for $100m (£80m) after his lawyer called her allegations a hoax.</I>

The jury in the multi-million dollar defamation trial between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard has been sent out to consider its verdicts.

Heard, who claims Depp physically and sexually assaulted her, is being sued by the Hollywood actor for $50m over an article she wrote in The Washington Post in 2018 in which she described herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse".

Heard, 36, has countersued her ex-husband for $100m after his lawyer called her allegations a hoax.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 58, insists he never struck Heard and that she made up the abuse claims to gain an advantage in divorce proceedings.

At the end of the six-week trial in Virginia on Friday, Depp's legal team asked the jury "to give Mr Depp his life back" by finding that Heard committed libel.

"This case for Mr Depp has never been about money," said Depp's lawyer Benjamin Chew.

"It is about Mr Depp's reputation and freeing him from the prison in which he has lived for the last six years."

Mr Chew also said: "We implore you to give him his name, his reputation and his career back."

Another of Depp's lawyers, Camille Vasquez, said that while Heard's first-person written piece did not mention the actor's name, it was clearly referring to him.

She told jurors that behind the scenes of Depp and Heard's relationship, things were very different.

"There is an abuser in this courtroom, but it is not Mr Depp. And there is a victim of domestic abuse in this courtroom, but it is not Ms Heard," she said.

Heard's lawyer, Benjamin Rottenborn, said the lawsuit was not about Depp's reputation but was part of an ongoing smear campaign Depp launched after Heard filed for divorce.

"In Mr Depp's world, you don't leave Mr Depp," he said. "If you do, he will start a campaign of global humiliation against you."

He took the jury back to the testimony of expert psychologist Dr Dawn Hughes, who tested Heard and said there had been a "high degree" of violence against the actress.

She said the effect of "coercive control" was "drastic" and that there was an "imbalance of power" and "intimidation".

Dr Hughes told the court that Heard has post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of abuse.

Mr Rottenborn said it was "ridiculous" that Depp was trying to "fool" the jury into believing he was never once abusive towards Heard.

"It's not about who's the better spouse," the lawyer said. "It's not about whether you think Ms Heard may have been abusive to Mr Depp. It's not."

Mr Rottenborn added: "It is time to tell Mr Depp that this was his last chance. Tell him to move on with his life. Tell him to let Amber move on with hers.

"This trial is about so much more than Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard. It's about freedom of speech. Stand up for it. Protect it. And reject Mr Depp's claims against Amber."

Another of Heard's lawyers, Elaine Bredehoft, said the statements made by Depp's attorney Adam Waldman - which are the reason Heard is countersuing Depp - "took on a life of its own".

Ms Bredehoft said they have "followed her everywhere" and that Heard has lost several work opportunities.

The Aquaman movie was Heard's "opportunity", her "blockbuster", Ms Bredehoft said, but as it was coming out, "everything shut down".

She reminded the jury of previous testimony by an expert who predicted the actress's career trajectory, saying she could have earned up to $50m in the following years "instead of her star being completely extinguished".

Ms Bredehoft said the jury also needs to consider "emotional distress damages" and said these are "even more extreme".

"Every time she is called a liar... it causes her to relive all of it," Ms Bredehoft said, adding that the ordeal has "destroyed" Heard's life and "consumed her".

https://news.sky.com/story/johnny-d...ial-retires-to-consider-its-verdicts-12622756