'Wealth of evidence' supports Amber Heard's allegations of domestic abuse, lawyers say
Johnny Depp’s memory of his “disgraceful conduct” towards ex-wife Amber Heard is “so severely impaired by drug use” that he may not have been aware of the extent of his “violence and terrifying behaviour”, the High Court has heard.
Lawyers for The Sun newspaper said there is a “wealth of evidence” to support Ms Heard’s allegations of domestic violence by Mr Depp - which they say paints a picture of the actor as “a hopeless addict who repeatedly lost his self-control and all ability to restrain his anger”.
ITV News Correspondent Juliet Bremner reports on the latest from outside court:
Mr Depp, 57, is suing the tabloid’s publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article which labelled him a “wife beater”.
The Pirates Of The Caribbean actor denies the allegations of violence made against him by Ms Heard, 34.
On Monday, the case – the biggest English libel trial of the 21st century – entered its closing stages as NGN’s legal team began making closing submissions.
High Court hears 'violent' details of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's marriage
Johnny Depp accused Amber Heard of defecating in their bed, High Court hears
Sasha Wass QC, for NGN, told Mr Justice Nicol that evidence of Mr Depp’s “drug and alcohol-fuelled lifestyle provides a backdrop to the events in question”.
She said: “Firstly, it demonstrates that the claimant was subject to irrational mood swings and abnormal behavioural patterns, which would not have been present when Mr Depp was clean and sober, and Mr Depp has a name for this metamorphosed entity, namely ‘The Monster’.
“The other aspect which is important in terms of substance abuse is Mr Depp’s recollection of his own disgraceful conduct, which is so severely impaired by drug misuse that he may not even have been aware of the extent of his violence and terrifying behaviour which, on more than one of these pleaded incidents, put Ms Heard in fear of her life.”
Ms Wass also told the court: “The days are long past when the courts in this country required corroboration before accepting the unsupported testimony of a female complainant.”
She later said it is “trite” to suggest that a person who chooses to remain with a violent partner “cannot be a victim”.
She said: “We submit… that the testimony of a complainant of domestic violence is sufficient to prove the case, provided that the complainant – Ms Heard in this case – gives credible and reliable evidence.”
However, she said that in this case, unusually, there is also a “wealth of evidence” to support Ms Heard’s account.
She said there were text messages and emails to support her evidence, as well as medical evidence from those who were treating Mr Depp for his addictions.
Ms Wass referred to a text exchange between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s father David sent shortly after the alleged incident in December 2015 which she described as “one abusive man talking to another on equal terms”.
Mr Heard said in the text to Mr Depp: “I understand a man’s got to be a man and I’m not saying you were completely justified but I understand.”
He also said to Mr Depp that “Amber needs help with her temper” and that the actor needed help with with drink and alcohol, the court heard.
Ms Wass said that, in his reply to Mr Heard, Mr Depp admitted “he went too far in the fight”.
The barrister then referred to a recording of a meeting between Mr Depp and Ms Heard in San Francisco in July 2016, after Ms Heard obtained a restraining order, in which Mr Depp “admitted headbutting Ms Heard” by accident in December 2015.
Ms Wass said: “This paints a picture of a hopeless addict who repeatedly lost his self control and all ability to restrain his anger.”
At the outset of Monday’s hearing, Ms Wass said that the defence to the article complained about by Mr Depp is “one of truth, namely that Mr Depp did indeed beat his wife”.
She said: “For the defence of truth to be substantiated, the defendants need to prove on a balance of probabilities that Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard on at least one occasion."
Ms Wass referred to the evidence of 13 of Johnny Depp’s witnesses who claimed to have seen Amber Heard shortly after alleged incidents of domestic violence, who she said all stuck to “a mantra that is repeated: wearing no make-up, no bruises, cuts or injuries”.
She said there were "disconcerting similarities as to the phraseology between the statements made by Mr Depp’s dependants and employees, particularly when it comes to the question of make-up and injuries."
She told the court that Samantha McMillen, Johnny Depp’s stylist who worked for Amber Heard during the relationship, “gave a different account in support of Mr Depp” in relation to the aftermath of the alleged incident on December 15 2015.
She said: “She claimed to have seen Ms Heard with no bruises and no make-up and she could not be budged from that position, so there is a direct conflict in this case (between) the person who did the make-up (Melanie Inglessis) and would have seen Ms Heard at close range and the stylist who was present when the make-up was being done.”
She added: “Whether she is lying to protect Mr Depp or lying because she fears being blacklisted by Mr Depp, it is not possible to say but she has lied.”
Text messages between Kevin Murphy and Johnny Depp, sent in May 2019, which referred to Mr Depp’s American lawyer Adam Waldman, made “clear that a scheme is being set up by those acting for Mr Depp, Mr Waldman in particular”, Ms Wass said.
The three-week trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London has heard evidence from both Mr Depp and Ms Heard, as well as other witnesses.
Mr Depp was asked about 14 allegations of domestic violence which NGN rely on in their defence against Mr Depp’s claim – all of which the actor denies – as well as his past relationships with women including Vanessa Paradis, Winona Ryder and Kate Moss, and his well-documented use of drink and drugs.
He accused Ms Heard of “building a dossier very early on” in their relationship to align herself with the #MeToo movement.
And he told the court no other woman had ever accused him of hitting them.
In her evidence, Ms Heard claimed her ex-husband threatened to kill her “many times, especially later in our relationship”, and would blame his actions on a “self-created third party” he called “The Monster” – who she said she was “terrified of”.
Heard denies affair with Elon Musk and lying about alleged injuries at Johnny Depp libel trial
Amber Heard tells court Johnny Depp threw bottles at her 'like grenades'
In a witness statement, Ms Heard accused Mr Depp of verbal and physical abuse, including screaming, swearing, punching, slapping, kicking, headbutting and choking her, as well as “extremely controlling and intimidating behaviour”.
She also said Mr Depp was “extremely jealous” and accused her of having affairs with stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, whom he nicknamed “pumpkin-head” after Ms Heard auditioned with him.
Mr Depp is suing NGN and Mr Wootton over an April 27 2018 article with the headline: “Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?”
His lawyers say the article bore the meaning there was “overwhelming evidence” Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard on a number of occasions and left her “in fear for her life”.
NGN is defending the article as true, and says Mr Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs”.
Mr Justice Nicol has said that his judgment will be reserved.