Johnny Depp’s spokesperson has called Amber Heard’s court testimony “the performance of her life,” after the fourth week of their ongoing defamation trial drew to a close˳
On Wednesday and Thursday, Heard, 36, took the stand in Fairfax, Virginia, to emotionally share allegations of domestic abuse throughout their ill-fated relationship, several days after Depp, 58, had made similar accusations˳
Pirates of the Caribbean star Depp filed a $50 million lawsuit against Heard accusing her of defaming him when she wrote a 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post, in which she said she was a “public figure representing domestic abuse˳”
While Heard did not name Depp in the article, his lawyers have argued that it was obvious the she was referring to the actor˳ Heard is countersuing for $100 million for nuisance, with her lawyers arguing that the op-ed was a matter of public interest˳
As the ongoing trial breaks until May 16—due to a previously scheduled engagement for Judge Penney Azcarate—Depp and Heard’s spokespeople have shared their opinions of one another’s courtroom performance in statements˳
“As Mr˳ Depp’s counsel correctly predicted in their opening statements last month, Ms˳ Heard did indeed deliver ‘the performance of her life’ in her direct examination,” a representative for Depp told People˳
“While Ms˳ Heard’s stories have continued to grow new and convenient details, Mr˳ Depp’s recollections have remained exactly the same throughout the six painful years since her first allegations were made,” the spokesperson said˳ “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,” the statement concluded˳
Depp’s statement was countered by a representative of Heard, who pointed out that the actor had lost his 2020 libel case against British tabloid The Sun, which had labeled the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory star a “wife-beater,” in reference to Heard’s allegations of domestic abuse˳
Heard accused Depp of domestic abuse during their divorce proceedings in 2016˳
While Depp had repeatedly denied ever having been violent to Heard during the three-week trial in London, a judge found that The Sun’s claims that the Kentucky-born actor was abusive to Heard were “substantially true˳”
Responding to Depp’s latest statement, a representative of Heard told People: “As evidenced by the statement just released, Mr˳ Depp’s defamation claim is falling apart so rapidly that his counsel are turning from prosecutor to persecutor˳
“They boast that Mr˳ Depp’s story has not changed˳ If so, since he lost the Domestic Violence Restraining Order and he resoundingly lost the libel case in the U˳K˳, perhaps he should consider a new strategy rather than the recycled approach of attacking the victim, and refusing to take responsibility for his own conduct˳
“If Mr˳ Depp was truly innocent, why has he repeatedly apologized to Ms˳ Heard and promised to put the ‘monster away for good,'” Heard’s spokesperson went on˳
It was added in the statement that one of Heard’s “disappointments” is Depp’s “inability to distinguish fact from fiction—a malady which appears to have spread to his legal team˳”
Criticism was also leveled at Depp for his behavior during the trial, including appearing to doodle and sketch during proceedings and refusing to look at Heard during her testimony this week˳
“That same team is so panicked they are fighting tooth and nail to prevent compelling evidence and photos from being introduced,” said Heard’s spokesperson˳ “Small wonder Mr˳ Depp does not have the fortitude or courage to even look at Ms˳ Heard at all throughout the proceedings—as he could not in the U˳K˳ trial—and, instead he doodles and snickers˳”
“Mr˳ Depp’s behavior in this trial has been as pitiful as it was in their marriage,” the representative concluded˳ “Apparently, they feel they must double-down on their demonstrably losing two-part strategy: distract the jury and demonize the victim˳”
On Thursday, Heard was seen getting emotional as she alleged to the court that Depp sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle during a violent confrontation˳ Through tears, she said she thought Depp was punching her and that she felt pressure on her pubic bone˳
Heard said she remained still˳ She said she couldn’t feel the bottle inside her and couldn’t feel any pain˳ She said she just saw “so much broken glass˳”
“I just remember thinking, ‘Please God, please˳ I hope it’s not broken,'” she said˳
Heard later said she remembered Depp saying, “I’ll f***ing kill you,” and then bleeding from her vagina˳ She said she thought the bottle must not have been broken, or else “it would be much worse˳”
Depp and Heard, who were married between 2015 and 2017, have accused one another of physical violence during their relationship, though each denies the other’s claims˳
The trial will resume on May 16˳
