After weeks of explosive testimony, the jury is finally discussing the defamation lawsuit between actors Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard.
Depp filed a lawsuit against Hurd over an article she wrote for The Washington Post in December 2018, in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic violence.”
Hurd did not name Depp in the song, but sued her because he hinted that he was a domestic abuser and demanded $ 50 million in damages.
Hurd sued for $ 100 million, claiming she had suffered “insane physical violence and abuse.”
Here are some of the highs and lows of the blockbuster test.
The cut fingertip
Hours of testimony during the six-week trial were dedicated to a horrific incident in March 2015 in Australia, where Depp filmed the fifth part of “Pirates of the Caribbean”.
Depp’s middle fingertip was cut off during a heated argument with Hurd at their rental home.
Depp said it happened when Hurd threw a bottle of vodka at him.
Hurd said he did not know how it happened, but it may have happened when he smashed a wall-mounted phone.
However, they both agreed that Depp was using his bloody figure to scribble mysterious messages on walls, lampshades and mirrors in the home.
Among the many strange incidents cited during the trial was a story about the feces deposited one day by Depp on the couple’s bed.
Depp said he was shown a picture of “human feces” on the bed after he and Hurd quarreled over her 30th birthday.
Hurd tried to blame his dogs for that, Depp said, but “they’re Yorkies with a cup of tea, they weigh about four pounds each.”
Hurd said the dog had intestinal problems after eating some of Depp’s marijuana as a puppy.
As for the dogs, Hurd accused Depp of once holding one of them through the window of a moving car while “howling like an animal.”
The dog was unharmed.
Witnesses
Both sides presented a number of witnesses, although rumors of testimony from billionaire Elon Musk, Hurd’s ex-boyfriend, and her colleague James Franco did not materialize.
But there were celebrity appearances.
Kate Moss, Depp’s ex-girlfriend, has denied rumors that she once threw the British model down the stairs.
Moss said in a video link that this never happened.
Actress Ellen Barkin, another ex-girlfriend, testified that Depp was jealous, in control and drunk “a lot of the time” and once threw a bottle of wine in a hotel room.
Other witnesses included bodyguards, agents, business managers, psychiatrists, doctors, friends, relatives, and even the former porter of the luxury penthouse where the couple once lived in Los Angeles.
Goalkeeper Alejandro Romero probably spoke on behalf of many involved in the case when he said: “I am so stressed. I don’t want to deal with that anymore. “
The evidence
Audio and video recordings of heated disputes between Depp and Hurd were also included in the evidence.
In a video recorded by Hurd in their kitchen, Depp is seen screaming, smashing glass cabinets and pouring himself a huge glass of red wine.
Both Depp and Hurd provided photos of injuries they claim were inflicted by the other.
Hurd’s lawyers also provided photos that allegedly showed Depp fainting after drinking too much or using drugs.
Text messages were shown between Depp and various people, in which he described in harsh and violent language what he would like to see happen to Hurd.
Depp’s lawyers downplayed the texts, saying he simply had a colorful writing style similar to that of his late friend, journalist Hunter C. Thompson.
Depp fans
Depp’s fans line up for hours every day to secure seats in the public gallery for the Fairfax, Virginia process.
While the spectators behaved mostly decently, Judge Penny Azkarate threatened to expel them at some point during Hurd’s testimony.
“If I hear another sound, I will clear the gallery and continue this testimony without anyone in the courtroom,” Azcarate warned. “Understood?”
Depp fans also ran a large-scale social media campaign in support of the actor with the hashtag “#JusticeForJohnnyDepp”.
Hurd said she had received thousands of death threats. “People want to kill me and they tell me every day,” she said.
Damaged Hollywood careers
Both Depp, a three-time Oscar nominee, and Hurd say their careers have been damaged.
Hurd, who starred in Aquaman, one of the most lucrative films ever, said she had to fight to keep her role in Aquaman 2, and Depp tried to get Warner Brothers to remove her from the sequel.
Hurd’s legal team presented an expert in the entertainment industry who estimated that it had suffered $ 45-50 million from lost film and television roles and approvals.
An industry expert hired by Depp said he lost millions on allegations of abuse, including a $ 22.5 million salary for the sixth installment of Pirates.
But Tracy Jacobs, Depp’s former agent, said there was never a formal agreement for another Pirates movie.
Jacobs also said that the actor’s star has been obscured since 2010 due to “unprofessional behavior”, which includes drinking and drug use … AFP
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