The opening proclamation in the Johnny Depp versus Amber heard defamation lawsuit, in which the latter charged the first $100 million, was illustrated in a Virginia courtroom. First, Depp sued Heard for $50 million for an article that didn’t mention his name, but did quote him. In retaliation, Heard had cataloged a counter-suit against Depp.
As reported, the persecution began yesterday with many media outlets covering the event. Johnny Depp claims that the article Heard wrote for the Washington Post in 2018 considered domestic abuse and a system that protected abusers. While Depp was never mentioned, it was clear that he was quoted in the article, as Depp’s legal representative Ben Chew said.
Clearing statements began in a Virginia courtroom in a lawsuit filed by Depp, 58, against Heard, 35, for $50 million in 2018. Depp alleges that Heard defamed him when she wrote a point of view in the Washington Post in December 2018 about a survivor of domestic swear words.
The article never spoke of Depp by name, but Benjamin Chew, Depp’s attorney, informed jurors on Tuesday that it was clear Heard was referring to the prominent Hollywood man. Chew told the judges that Heard had distributed the piece on the eve of the release of Aquaman, her biggest film, however, to advertise and boost her career.
Chew said: By choosing to tell an untruth about her husband in her favor, Amber Heard has permanently reshaped Mr. Depp’s life and status. And she will hear him tell of the terrible consequences it has had on his life. Chew goes on, Hollywood studios don’t have to deal with the public reaction of hiring individuals accused of an insult, not even one with the extraordinary body of work and title Mr. Depp can be glorious about it.
J. Benjamin Rottenborn, a lawyer for Heard, said in his statement that Depp tried to misinform the jury with crazy strategy theories. Rottenborn said Heard was telling the reality of the horrific abuse she had to endure, but the trial is actually about a narrow legitimate question: whether Heard’s point of view was the freedom of expression guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.
Rottenborn said Depp’s team is kicking off trying to make this process a soap opera. Why? I am not convinced, because the indication is not good for Mr. Depp. Another adviser to Heard, Elaine Bredehoft, said that during a trip to Australia in 2015, Depp pulled Heard on the ground, punched her, beat her and then soaked her with an alcohol bottle. Depp nodded his head to say no in court when Bredehoft prompted the statement to the jurors.
A magistrate of the state court in Fairfax County, Virginia, will rule on the case, which is expected to last six weeks. A jury was appointed on Monday. Less than two years ago, Depp dropped a libel lawsuit against The Sun, a British tabloid that called him a woman abuser. A magistrate of London’s Supreme Court ordered that he continually assaulted Heard, leaving her in agony for her life.
In the case of the US, Depp and Heard both met long lists of possible spectators they could arrange in the stands. But the tide has now turned when a number of people namely, Elon Musk†James Francoand even the DC Film boss himself testified against Amber Heard in court.