The six-week trial has seen the Pirates of the Caribbean star go head-to-head against ex-wife Heard in response to a column she wrote in The Washington Post implying she had been a victim of domestic abuse.
Depp is suing Heard for $50 million for defamation after she wrote a 2018 op-ed for the Washington Post in which she said she was a victim of domestic violence.
Even though Heard didn’t name Depp in the op-ed, his lawyers have said it’s implied that it’s about him — and they’re seeking $50 million in damages that include lost movie roles and other opportunities following the allegations that Depp was abusive. Heard has filed a counterclaim for $100 million.
On her fourth day of testifying in the defamation trial between the former couple, Amber Heard received questions from Johnny Depp’s lawyers.
An attorney for Depp questioned Heard about her own drug usage, including scheduling time for “drugs” before the couple’s 2015 wedding, after testifying that Depp’s drug and alcohol use would turn him into a “monster” who would be aggressive with her.
Depp’s attorney Camille Vasquez asked Heard on Tuesday, “Who was the real monster in this relationship, Ms. Heard?”
Heard testified, “It’s half of Johnny. It’s not all of Johnny. The other half of him is wonderful and beautiful and the man I loved.”
Heard testified that her previous relationship with Depp was both violent and passionate and that his claimed violence toward her was linked to his drug and alcohol usage.
“It was always the man who did drugs and beat me up. Yes, that’s always been the monster,” Heard testified.
Depp has previously stated that he has never “hit any woman.”
Vasquez pointed to Heard’s own drug use, introducing a typed schedule for Depp and Heard’s wedding celebration on the actor’s private island in the Bahamas, which included time for a “dance party and drugs and music” after rehearsal dinner.
“So, you planned to have drugs at your wedding to someone you characterize as a drug addict?” Vasquez said.
“To be fair, we were going to have separate parties,” Heard said. “This is a draft clearly that was sent before there were a lot of changes made.”
Vasquez also read extracts from a “love journal” Heard created with messages to Depp and read texts between the former couple.
In one journal entry from April 2016, Heard wrote, “I am sorry I can get crazy. I am sorry I hurt you. None of this is meant to be an excuse for hurting you because the truth is nothing is. There is never a reason good enough to hurt you.”
Heard wrote in a March 2015 text to a physician, “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to change.”
Heard testified that she was alluding to the connection between the former couple.
“I very much wanted to leave the relationship I was in. But I didn’t feel I had the power to leave,” Heard testified. “I knew I was in a very toxic relationship with Johnny. And I knew I needed to change that.”
Heard was questioned about her 2009 arrest for an alleged domestic abuse with a former partner, for which she was never charged.
Heard denied assaulting the lady, her former girlfriend, at the Seattle Tacoma Airport in 2009, an event that became publicly publicized shortly after Heard was granted a restraining order against Depp in 2016.
“So Mr. Depp is not the only domestic partner you’ve assaulted is he, Ms. Heard?” asked Depp’s attorney, Camille Vasquez.
“I’ve never assaulted Mr. Depp or anyone else that I’ve been romantically linked to. Ever,” Heard replied.
Heard claims Depp’s public relations staff planted articles about the arrest at the time, calling it a “smear campaign.”
Heard was arrested at the Seattle Tacoma Airport on Sept. 14, 2009, on an allegation of assault in the fourth degree of domestic violence, according to Perry Cooper, a spokesperson for the Port of Seattle. However, the prosecuting attorney’s office declined to bring charges against Heard in the case.
Cooper stated that a request to remove Heard’s arrest record was granted. CNN also requested information about the arrest under the Freedom of Information Act, but the Port of Seattle Police public records office said it had “no responsive materials for Amber Heard.”
The individual Heard is suspected of assaulting has been contacted by CNN. Heard’s publicist declined to comment.
Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County prosecuting attorney told CNN in a statement Tuesday:
“The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office did not receive a full report beyond the first appearance information, however from the initial information sent to us from police it did not appear that there was evidence to prove a misdemeanor domestic violence case beyond a reasonable doubt. This does not appear to be a question of the police work, rather not having the evidence to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Elaine Bredehoft, Heard’s attorney, asked if the lady she allegedly attacked had said the claim was false during re-direct examination.
Heard responded, “of course she did.”
With those questions, Heard ended her time on the stand Tuesday afternoon. The trial will resume testimony from additional witnesses on Wednesday.
Sources: Dailywire, Metro, Dailymail