On a day when Amber Heard broke down in court docket saying ex-husband Johnny Depp sexually assaulted her and threatened her life, Johnny’s spokesperson has referred to as the testimony a ‘performance’. In flip, Amber’s workforce responded by claiming that Johnny’s case is falling aside and therefore, he and his workforce are resorting to ‘victim-blaming’. Johnny has sued ex-wife Amber for defamation, claiming a piece she wrote about ‘surviving domestic abuse’ harmed his profession and life. Also learn: Johnny Depp laughs after Amber Heard testifies that she ‘allowed him to take off his own boots’. Watch
The trial is underway at a state court docket in Virginia’s Fairfax County the place Johnny has sued Amber for $50 million. Amber has a counter-suit of $100 million. On Thursday, Amber testified in court docket saying Johnny has assaulted her with a bottle. Speaking in between sobs, the actor stated, “I used to be scared. I had simply married him.” As per Amber, the incident occurred in July 2015 when she visited Johnny in Australia the place he was filming the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film.
Soon after the testimony, Johnny’s spokesperson launched a assertion on his behalf to People Magazine. It learn, “As Mr. Depp’s counsel accurately predicted of their opening statements final month, Ms. Heard did certainly ship ‘the efficiency of her life’ in her direct examination. While Ms. Heard’s tales have continued to develop new and handy particulars, Mr. Depp’s recollections have remained precisely the identical all through the six painful years since her first allegations have been made.”
The assertion additional claimed that ‘fallacies’ in Amber’s testimony shall be highlighted throughout her cross-questioning in the coming days. “His truth — the truth — is the same no matter the environment in which it has been presented. The upcoming cross-examination from Mr. Depp’s team will be most telling, and will certainly highlight the many fallacies Ms. Heard has now attempted to pass off as fact throughout her convoluted testimony.”
Amber’s representatives responded to the assertion by claiming that Johnny’s case is ‘falling apart’. The assertion learn, “As evidenced by the assertion simply launched, Mr. Depp’s defamation declare is falling aside so quickly that his counsel are turning from prosecutor to persecutor. They boast that Mr. Depp’s story has not modified. If so, since he misplaced the Domestic Violence Restraining Order and he resoundingly misplaced the libel case in the UK, maybe he ought to think about a new technique moderately than the recycled strategy of attacking the sufferer, and refusing to take accountability for his personal conduct.”
In the assertion launched on Amber’s behalf, her spokesperson additionally slammed Johnny for not having the ‘courage to look at her’. It learn, “If Mr. Depp was really harmless, why has he repeatedly apologized to Ms. Heard and promised to put the ‘monster away for good. Small surprise Mr. Depp doesn’t have the fortitude or braveness to even look at Ms. Heard at all all through the proceedings — as he couldn’t in the UK trial. Mr. Depp’s conduct on this trial has been as pitiful because it was of their marriage. Apparently, they really feel they need to double-down on their demonstrably dropping two-part technique: distract the jury and demonize the sufferer.”
Earlier, in his testimony, Johnny had stated he by no means abused or assaulted Amber and that it was she who bullied him throughout their marriage. The couple had met in 2010 after they have been capturing the movie The Rum Diary. They have been married in 2015 and their divorce was finalized in 2017 after lower than two years of marriage.
The case hinges on a December 2018 opinion piece Amber authored in the Washington Post. The article by no means talked about Johnny by title, however his lawyer informed jurors it was clear Amber was referencing him. Johnny, as soon as amongst Hollywood’s greatest stars, stated the allegations value him “every little thing.” A brand new Pirates film was placed on maintain, and the actor was changed in the Fantastic Beasts movie franchise. Amber’s attorneys have argued that she informed the reality and that her opinion was protected as free speech below the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
Less than two years in the past, Johnny misplaced a libel case in opposition to the Sun, a British tabloid that labeled him a “wife-beater.” A London High Court choose dominated he had repeatedly assaulted his ex-wife.
(With inputs from Reuters)