Depp v Heard Trial Update
Attorneys for Heard sought to undermine Depp’s lawsuit against her yesterday by spending hours in court
focused on his drinking, drug use, and text messages to friends. Heard’s lawyers referenced the actor’s history
of trashing hotel rooms and the smashing of a bathroom sconce during an argument. Johnny Depp is also facing
a lawsuit filed by a member of a film crew who alleges assault in 2018.
The lawsuit against Heard alleges that she falsely portrayed him as a domestic abuser and ruined his
lucrative acting career. Heard’s attorneys argue that Depp did indeed abuse Heard, both physically and sexually,
and claim he can’t deny it because he was often drunk and high to the point of blacking out.
Depp has argued that his movie career suffered after she wrote a 2018 op-ed piece in the Washington Post, which
prompted his libel lawsuit against Heard.
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Day 2 for Johnny Depp on the stand in Fairfax
ABC News reports on Johnny Depp’s second day on the stand in the Fairfax County libel suit against his ex wife Amber Heard.
Depp scoffed at the notion that his quarrels with his ex-wife would ever prompt him to hit her.
He insisted on cross examination that her allegations devastated his career.
Depp said violence isn’t necessary why would you hit someone to make them agree with you he asked.
Depp addressed Heard’s accusations in detail on Wednesday.
He said Heard says he first slapped her in 2013 over a tattoo that use to read Winona Forever for when he dated Winona Ryder.
He had the tattoo altered to read Wino Forever.
Depp asked why would he take such a great offense to someone making fun of a tattoo.
Depp added that the slap never happened.
Saying that allegation never made any sense to him.
Heard has also accused Depp of becoming blackout intoxicated and assaulting her on a plane.
Depp testified he took two oxycodone pills an opiate and a drink of champagne and then locked himself in the private plane’s bathroom to avoid her badgering.
Depp testified that he had only one drink on that plane ride.
However according to evidence introduced at a previous trial he texted actor Paul Bettany telling him he drank half a bottle of whiskey “a thousand Red Bull vodkas” and two bottles of champagne before the flight.
That was in a similar court case in England that Depp lost.
Depp also discussed a violent argument in 2015 in Australia that resulted in the tip of his middle finger being cut off.
He told the court that Heard became irate when his lawyers asked her to sign a post nuptial agreement.
He said she threw two vodka bottles at him the second of which exploded where he placed his hand.
Depp testified that he lied about the injury to protect his ex-wife.
Heard’s lawyers say the laws of physics don’t support Depp’s story and they have evidence to prove it.
Depp also gave a graphic description of a final fight they had in which Heard and her friends were pretending that he was assaulting her.
Depp testified that Heard was on the phone with a friend shouting stop hitting me Johnny while he was standing nowhere near her.
Depp would later accuse Heard of leaving human fecal matter on his side of the bed they shared.
Depp says that things began to change when he felt that suddenly he was just wrong about everything in Heard’s eyes.
Violence would often ensue with a slap or a shove or a tv remote to the face or glass of wine to his face Depp testified.
He would often lock himself in a bathroom or a place where she couldn’t get to him.
Depp added that he used drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with Heard’s abuse calling her a heavy drinker as well.
Depp said at one point he stopped drinking to try to save the relationship but Heard refused to abstain.
Depp says that the article Heard wrote implicating him as an abuser led to his being fired from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
On cross examination Heard’s lawyer pointed to evidence that Disney made that decision moths before the article’s publication.
The cross examination of Depp is expected to continue today Thurs. Apr. 21.
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Johnny Depp takes the stand in Fairfax trial
According to ABC News Actor Johnny Depp took the stand in the ongoing defamation trail against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
Depp told the jury that he felt compelled to sue for libel out of obsession for the truth after she accused him of domestic violence.
The actor continued that his goal was the truth because it killed him that all those people he met over the years would think he was a fraud.
Depp flatly denied ever hitting Heard calling the allegations against him disturbing and heinous and not based in any species of truth.
Nothing of the kind ever happened Depp told the court.
Depp alluded to the fall in his career since Heard levied the abuse allegations against him calling the last six years trying times.
For over an hour Depp gave long stream of consciousness answers to questions about his childhood and his early movie career.
After one long answer he admitted that he forgot the original question.
Depp then admitted that he has a meandering style particularly relating to his writing style.
He mentioned his long friendship and collaborations with gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
Saying he sought to emulate a style incorporating brash language and embellishing thoughts.
Depp went on to say his style led him to write text messages that he now finds embarrassing and he apologized to the jury for the vulgar language he used in messages introduced as evidence by Heard’s lawyers.
Telling the court he was in the heat of the moment in the heat of pain and was in a dark place.
Depp will continue his testimony today Apr. 20.
Yesterday Apr.19 Depp testified primarily about early years of his relationship with Heard saying it was too good to be true at first.
Calling the woman he married in 2015 loving, smart, kind, understanding and funny.
He said the little things started to indicate to him a rocky relationship ahead.
When he broke established routines she would become upset.
Depp went on to say that within a year and a half Heard had become another person.
He told the court that Heard’s allegations of his substance abuse has been grossly embellished and there were no moments he was out of control.
Telling the court he is not some maniac that needs to be high or loaded all the time.
Depp did admit to being addicted to pain medication which stemmed from an injury on a movie set.
Depp said he detoxed from pain medication and has experienced long periods of sobriety over the years.
Heard’s lawyers have filed a counter suit against Depp calling the abuse allegations true.
Heard’s lawyers say that Depp being booted from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise comes from his own bad behavior.
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Day 5 of the Depp Heard trial in Fairfax County
ABC News report on day 5 of the Johnny Depp Amber Heard deformation trial.
Monday Apr. 18 saw Depp’s Doctor testify in the trial.
Doctor David Kipper detailed his treatment of Depp for addiction to opiates.
Kipper shared that he at one point treated Depp’s finger after an alleged fight between the couple while in Australia.
Kipper’s assistant Deborah Lloyd documented a number of instances she had taken notes on.
One particular incident documented by Lloyd recorded reporting to Depp’s home to find him sitting with bloody knuckles.
Lloyd reported that Depp stated that he had punched the white board in the kitchen after a fight with his fiancee.
Lloyd told the court that Depp told her the fight escalated when he did not give his fiancee enough support.
Lloyd stated that at times she instigated him, remembering one time they attempted to leave the penthouse and Amber wouldn’t let them.
She didn’t want him to leave Lloyd told the court.
The trail is being held in Fairfax because the Washington Post’s computer server for their online edition is there and they published the article Heard wrote inferring Depp abused her.
Also Depp’s lawyers have said in part that Virginia laws are more favorable to their case.
The case is scheduled Monday through Thursdays starting at 10 a.m. each day expected to last at least a month.
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The latest on the Depp Heard trial in Fairfax
The ongoing libel suit filed by Johnny Depp against ex-wife Amber Heard continues in Fairfax Virginia here is Thursday’s report from ABC News.
Heard’s personal assistant gave a video deposition in the ongoing libel suit Depp filed against his ex-wife.
Kate James testified that she never saw the actress suffer any physical abuse at the hands of then husband Depp.
She did say that Heard once spat in her face when she asked for a higher salary.
James added that Heard would descended into screaming fits of blind rage sending incoherent text messages at 4 a.m. and was often drunk and high on illegal drugs.
The deposition from James went on to say that Depp on the other hand was very calm almost shy like a total southern gentleman.
James in the video went on to indicate that Depp was the peaceful one while Heard was frequently intoxicated and verbally abusive to Depp her own mother and sister as well.
James worked for Heard from 2012 to 2015 saying that she was paid very poorly and was charged with a number of duties ranging from picking up Heard’s dry cleaning to talking to Heard’s agents.
James was told to buy two copies of any magazine featuring Heard and place them in the garage so Depp wouldn’t see them.
Once when she did not put them in the garage Heard flew into a blind rage.
James called Heard very dramatic who was deeply insecure in her relationship with Depp.
Heard often called James to cry and complain about Depp once calling James while walking the streets of New York alone crying.
James told her to go inside before a paparazzi took a picture of her.
Much of James deposition focused on text messages that Depp sent to James after he and Heard split.
Depp wrote come over for a spot of purple and we’ll fix her flabby a nice and good.
Heard’s lawyer asked if a spot of purple meant wine and whether her meant Heard.
James didn’t want to speculate saying Depp writes in a very abstract way.
Lawyers also presented a video deposition of Laurel Anderson the couple’s therapist in 2015.
Anderson said both suffered childhood abuse.
As a couple they were engaged in mutual abuse.
Heard’s father beat her Anderson added it was a point of pride to her if she felt disrespected to initiate a fight.
Heard would rather be in a fight with Depp than see him leave striking him to keep him there.
Anderson recalled a time that Heard told her that Depp was stepping up on a lot of drugs and she slapped him because he was being incoherent and talking about being with another woman.
Depp’s mother was in the hospital at the time.
Anderson said that Depp told her that Heard gave as good as she got.
Anderson added that at least one session alone with Heard the actress said Depp hit her.
The therapist did say Heard did show her bruises in both photos and in person.
Heard also told Anderson that Depp allegedly told her No one likes you you’re getting fame from me I’m falling out of love with you.
Anderson noted that Heard’s Jackhammer style of talking and habit of cutting Depp off overwhelmed him.
Heard knew the relationship wasn’t healthy according to Anderson.
The couple will eventually testify along with actors Paul Bettany, James Franco and Elon Musk in what is expected to be a six week long trail in Fairfax Virginia.
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Wednesday at the ongoing Depp Heard trail in Fairfax
An ABC News report on the Johnny Depp libel suit against ex-wife Amber Heard in Fairfax Virginia.
Depp’s longtime friend and next door neighbor testified Wednesday in the trail.
Isaac Baruch said he never noticed any evidence of abuse on Heard’s face.
Heard told him that Depp threw a phone at her hitting her.
Baruch said he saw no evidence of it either right after it happened nor later in better light.
Baruch is the second witness called in the trail over Depp’s allegations that an opinion piece Heard wrote in the Washington Post falsely portrays her ex as a domestic abuser.
Baruch a painter, has been a friend of Depp since 1980 even working for him when the actor owned part of the famed Viper Room Club.
Depp has also helped Baruch financially as well.
Under cross examination from Heard’s lawyer Baruch conceded he didn’t know if Heard was wearing make up to conceal any bruising.
At one point Baruch got emotional saying that Heard needed to take responsibility and move on.
Baruch added that he never saw violence from Depp.
Baruch did testified that he saw security video showing Heard’s sister Whitney throwing a fake punch at Heard’s face while the two waited for an elevator in the building they all shared.
After the fake punch the sisters laughed.
Heard’s lawyer argues that the sisters were practicing for a real punch to feign abuse from Depp.
Both Depp and Heard are expected to testify in what is expected to be a six week long trail in Fairfax.
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First day of the Depp Heard trail in Fairfax
ABC News reports on the Johnny Depp Amber Heard libel suit in Fairfax that opened yesterday.
Depp’s suit against his ex-wife Heard will likely turn into a six week mudslinging soap opera is how Heard’s lawyer opened yesterday’s proceedings.
Some people lined up hours before the trail began with about 80 people able to get in but several rows were left empty in the gallery.
The courtroom fell silent a few minutes before the 10 a.m. start time when Heard entered the room through a special entrance that is usually reserved for judges.
An audible intake of breath was heard when Depp came in a minute later using the same entrance.
The first witness was Depp’s older sister Christi Dembrowski who told the court the pair endured a difficult childhood where Depp learned to hide from an abusive mother.
Dembrowski said she saw the same pattern in Depp’s relationship with Heard.
She added that when she booked travel for the couple as their personal manager she would book an extra room so Depp would have somewhere to hide if Heard started a fight.
Dembrowski did struggle with cross examination when asked why she sent texts to Depp in 2014 that said “Stop drinking. Stop coke. Stop pills.”
She only said she did not know what the text were in reference to unwilling to acknowledge her concerns about her brother’s drinking and drug use.
Heard’s lawyers have argued that Depp has no credibility when he denies abusing Heard because he would black out from drug and drink and not remember what he did.
Depp who faced forward through most of the first day glared at Heard’s lawyers for an extended time after the questioning of his sister.
At the end of the proceedings Depp turned and saluted the gallery as he exited receiving dozens of excited waves in return.
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Jury trail begins today 4/12 in Depp Heard case in Fairfax
According to ABC News a jury of seven people plus four alternates was selected yesterday Apr. 11 to hear a libel lawsuit Johnny Depp filed against his ex wife Amber Heard.
Heard is accused of falsely portraying Depp as a domestic abuser.
Depp sued Heard over an op-ed piece she wrote in the Washington Post in 2018 in which Heard refers to herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse.
The article doesn’t mention Depp by name but he says it clearly refers to allegations Heard made in other forums that she suffered physical abuse at his hands.
Depp denies the accusations.
More than a dozen women some waving signs saying Justice for Johnny joined other fans waving pirate flags in recognition of Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean movie role.
The courtroom in the City of Fairfax was closed to the public Monday with limited closed circuit access in an overflow courtroom.
People lined up before 7 a.m. for the wristbands granting access.
Both Depp and Heard were in attendance but court personnel brought them in and out utilizing special access.
The judge has imposed a series of access rules to try and maintain decorum in the courthouse.
A smaller jury is typical for civil trials in Virginia opening statements are expected today.
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