Johnny Depp testified this week in a defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, accusing the actress of emotional and physical abuse during their four-year relationship. It was wild to say the least.
At one shocking moment, the Aquaman star, who has not yet spoken, cursed and admitted that she “hit” Depp in an audio recording released on the court. Pictures of the injuries Depp allegedly suffered after fierce fighting were shown. But there were also some awkward moments for the Pirates of the Caribbean star. During the cross-examination, Depp was confronted with aggressive secret recordings made by Hurd. The jury also heard many of the actor’s explicit text messages, in which he called Hurd things like “useless prostitute” and “c ***” and said he wanted to “fuck her burnt corpse”.
The process is expected to continue for several more weeks. Although Hurd has not yet testified, legal experts say Depp has so far “won in public opinion.”
Johnny Depp testifies during the defamation trial against Amber Heard in Fairfax County Court in Fairfax, Virginia (Photo: AFP)
“Johnny demonstrates that Amber is the dominant aggressor in a relationship that involves acts of physical violence against him. He describes how she threw a bottle of vodka at him, which cut off the tip of his finger that she extinguished a lighted cigarette on his face and punched him in the face. He showed pictures of these injuries, “family lawyer Chris Melcher, Walser Melcher’s partner, told Yahoo Entertainment. (Hurd claims Depp cut off his fingertip.)” But it’s not about Amber hitting Johnny. ” “
Depp sued Hurd for defamation for describing himself as a “public figure representing domestic violence” in a 2018 Washington Post publication. He did not sue her for assault.
“Johnny has to prove that she made a false statement about him in a Washington Post article. He did not do a good job of pointing out specific statements in the article that he considered to be untrue, “Melcher continued. “Amber did not say directly in the article that Johnny hit her. She introduced herself as a victim of domestic violence and said she was faced with a reaction when she spoke about it. Amber put herself in a false light, but that may not be enough to be considered libel. “
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Depp lost a similar defamation lawsuit in the UK in 2020, when a judge ruled that the actor had abused Hurd to be “essentially true”, so it’s fair for The Sun to call him a “woman beater”. The three-week experience was just as explosive, but Melcher noted a key difference.
“The case against The Sun did not involve Amber as a party, she was just a witness, so he could not go into depth about her behavior in this process, as he is able to do now. “Johnny explained that he lost his reputation immediately because Amber’s accusations sparked a storm of media attention and that his lawyer at the time advised him not to retaliate,” Melcher said. “It is difficult for any public figure to deal with such accusations, and their advisers advise them to remain silent while the accusations are spread in the media. Six years later, he finally spoke in court with evidence and demonstrated that these allegations were untrue. “
Melcher added: “Johnny wins in public opinion court, even if he loses in Virginia court. He should know that the chances of winning the defamation lawsuit are difficult, and he is probably using the case as a forum to find out what Amber did to him. This is his first chance to sue Amber. “
Defamation lawyer Jeff Lewis agrees, telling Yahoo Entertainment: “For Amber, this process certainly doesn’t help … She doesn’t look like an angel, and let’s face it, women are being tried more harshly in Hollywood.”
Amber Heard hears Johnny Depp testify in court on April 21, 2022 (Photo: AFP)
“Johnny’s reputation as a bad boy and partygoer actually helps him. His drug use is widely known, so it does not seem that his testimony surprised anyone. What may not have been so widely known is the violent childhood and environment in which Johnny grew up. That allowed him to be presented as a victim and to be liked by the public and maybe even the jury, “added Luis. “But we have a long way to go. Amber hasn’t told her side of the story, and let’s keep in mind that they’re both actors, and you’d expect them to play their current role as witnesses.”
A source close to Hurd disagreed with the way Depp was baptized in the stands, telling Yahoo Entertainment that the actor had repeatedly contradicted himself, especially when it came to his substance abuse problems. The insider emphasizes that the actor must prove by overwhelming evidence that he did not abuse Hurd in the defamation case and does not believe that the case was initiated. This will be decided by the jury.
Melcher believes Depp did well during the cross-examination compared to his first day of testifying and looked “more comfortable.” He also points to the actor’s testimony about his childhood.
“Johnny did a great job explaining how he was abused as a child by his mother and that as a result he retired and started using drugs at an early age. It was heartbreaking to hear how badly he had been treated by his parents and how this had led him to self-medicate at an early age because there was no other way to handle it. It was vital evidence to show that Johnny used drugs to relieve his pain, not to party, “Melcher said.” It also demonstrates that Johnny is withdrawing from the conflict because he learned it as a child. The jury must have great sympathy for Johnny, but in the end they are expected to follow the law in making their decision.
As for the defamation case, Depp has a tough fight.
“He has to prove real malice to win a defamation lawsuit. It’s a much harder obstacle to climb than judging someone who isn’t a public figure. Depp has to prove that Hurd knew her statements were false when she made them, “says Lewis.
However, Depp’s career could be a lifeline.
“It’s a loss-making situation for both of them, but I think Johnny looks better and the comments on social media reflect that,” he added. “Also, remember that Hollywood has a short memory. Remember when Robert Downey Jr.’s career was in the tank after his drug abuse, strange behavior and intrusion into someone’s home? He has completely overcome this stage of his life and Depp could have done the same, especially with a victory here. “
MORE: Johnny Depp’s lyrics about wanting to “fuck” Amber Heard’s “burnt corpse” read during the trial
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