Amber Heard 'stayed silent about Johnny Depp abuse claims to protect his career'
Amber Heard did not come forward sooner with abuse claims against her estranged husband Johnny Depp because she wanted to protect his career, her lawyers have said.
Samantha F Spector and her co-counsel Joseph P Koenig said Heard suffered "years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Johnny".
But her decision not to give an initial statement to the LAPD has been used against her by Depp's legal team, they claimed.
The lawyers said Heard has tried to keep the matter as private as possible after she filed for divorce on May 23, and delayed requesting a domestic violence restraining order because Depp was out of the country promoting his latest film.
"We took the high road - unfortunately, Johnny's team immediately went to the press and began viciously attacking Amber's character," Heard's lawyers said.
"Johnny's team has forced Amber to give a statement to the LAPD to set the record straight as to the true facts, as she cannot continue to leave herself open to the vicious false and malicious allegations that have infected the media."
In papers filed with the Los Angeles Superior County Court, Heard, 30, said Depp threw a mobile phone at her at their Los Angeles penthouse, striking her cheek and eye.
The actress wrote in court papers: "I endured excessive emotional, verbal and physical abuse from Johnny, which has included angry, hostile, humiliating and threatening assaults to me whenever I questioned his authority or disagreed with him."
Depp has been ordered by a judge to stay 100 yards away from Heard. The actor's lawyer Laura Wasser said Heard's request for a temporary restraining order and financial support "appears to be in response to the negative media attention she received earlier this week".
The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday that Depp may not face prosecution for the alleged assault against Heard.