A civil jury in Virginia heard opening statements on Tuesday referring to a defamation lawsuit filed via Johnny Depp in opposition to his ex-wife Amber Heard, who has accused the actor of home abuse.
The lawsuit is said to a 2018 op-ed Heard wrote for The Washington Submit’s on-line version, through which she referred to herself as a “public determine representing home abuse” who “felt the overall drive of our tradition’s wrath for girls who discuss out.”
The op-ed does now not point out Depp via identify, however the actor claims it’s defamatory as it refers to earlier accusations Heard made when she sought a restraining order in opposition to him in 2016. Depp has denied the abuse allegations, as his attorneys said in court docket on Tuesday.
“The proof will display that the transparent implication in Ms. Heard’s op-ed that you’ve got in entrance of you was once that she was once the sufferer of home abuse perpetrated via Mr. Depp. The proof will display that that was once a lie and it stays a lie when it was once repeated and republished two years later,” Benjamin Chunk, considered one of Depp’s lawyers, informed the jury.
“Hollywood studios don’t need to care for the general public backlash from hiring anyone accused of abuse, even anyone with an out of this world frame of labor that Mr. Depp will also be pleased with. A false allegation can devastate a occupation,” the legal professional persisted, even if many public figures have remained a success after being accused of misconduct.
Heard accused Depp of home abuse of their 2016 divorce lawsuits, and bought a restraining order to final till the divorce was once finalized the following 12 months. Heard has long past into harrowing element about greater than a dozen incidents, together with occasions she stated Depp’s substance abuse problems would cause a violent persona they each known as “the Monster.” Depp would punch, slap, kick, spit on and choke her, in keeping with Heard, who additionally claimed her then-husband would pull her hair so exhausting that chunks of it got here out.
The “Aquaman” actor has additionally detailed an incident through which Depp allegedly took a number of ecstasy drugs over the path of 3 days in Australia, and seriously abused her right through that point. In keeping with Heard, Depp strangled her, threw bottles of alcohol at her and as soon as ripped off her nightgown.
Depp filed a libel go well with in opposition to the writer of the British tabloid The Solar over an April 2018 article that classified him a “spouse beater.” The Solar’s protection depended on allegations Heard product of Depp’s violence between 2013 and 2016. The British top court docket rejected the lawsuit, ruling that Depp assaulted Heard and made her concern for her lifestyles 3 times. A British appeals court docket refused Depp’s attraction if that’s the case, announcing his try had “no actual prospect of luck.”
“Mr. Depp must turn out that the phrases Ms. Heard used [in the Post] had been about him and that they had been false. If he can’t do this, and if he can’t meet the opposite parts of the declare, then he loses that declare,” Benjamin Rottenborn, Heard’s legal professional, informed the jury Tuesday. “Mr. Depp’s crew goes to … attempt to distract you from that straightforward query. Mr. Depp’s crew goes to check out to show this situation right into a cleaning soap opera. Why? I’m now not truly certain, since the proof isn’t beautiful for Mr. Depp. It’s now not.”
“You’re going to look who the true Johnny Depp is,” Rottenborn persisted. ’In the back of the pink carpets, at the back of the celebrity, at the back of the cash, at the back of the pirate costumes, you’re going to look who that guy truly is.”
Brendan Smialowski/AFP by the use of Getty Photographs
Seven other people had been decided on on Monday to serve at the jury and listen to the case, with 4 selected as alternates. In keeping with Angenette Levy, a Legislation & Crime reporter who was once within the court docket, the jury looked as if it would include 8 males and 3 girls. Heard’s attorneys tried to have the case attempted within the actors’ resident state of California, however a pass judgement on dominated that Depp was once allowed to deliver the case to trial in Virginia as a result of The Washington Submit’s pc servers for its on-line version are in Fairfax County.
The trial is predicted to final over a month, with an extended record of witnesses that incorporates actors Paul Bettany and James Franco, in addition to tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.
Want lend a hand? Within the U.S., name 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline.