Amid their court battle, Depp and Heard have accused one another of violence throughout their ill-fated relationship. They have both denied the allegations.
Johnny Depp’s ongoing court battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, has seen the former couple level a host of allegations at one another—from drug use, to infidelity and alcoholism. But the overriding theme in the defamation trial, which has just concluded its fourth week, is violence, with both parties accusing the other of domestic abuse in their harrowing testimonies at the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia. Depp,58, filed a $50 million lawsuit against Heard, whom he has accused of defaming him in an op-ed published by The Washington Post in 2018. Heard stated that she was a victim of domestic abuse in the article. While she didn’t name Depp, the actor’s lawyers have argued that it was obvious she was referring to him. Heard has countersued for $100 million for nuisance, with her attorneys arguing that the op-ed was a matter of public interest. With Heard having testified for two days this week, Newsweek has taken a look at the references to violence both parties made during their time on the stand. During opening statements last month, Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, sparked a debate when she held up a makeup palette and said that it was what the actress had used to cover bruises allegedly sustained at the hands of Depp « This is what Amber carried in her purse for the entire relationship with Johnny Depp, » Bredehoft told the jury. « She’s an actor. Do you honestly think she would have left her apartment ever without makeup? Do you think that she ever would have wanted other people to see her bruises and her cuts? This is what she used. « She became very adept at it, and you’re going to hear the testimony from Amber about how she had to mix the different colors for the different days of the bruises, as they developed in the different coloring, and how she would use these to touch those up to be able to cover those. She also used concealer foundation. » As the first of the two to take the stand, Depp denied being violent when he testified on April 19, stating instead that he had been the victim of abuse from Heard. « Nothing of the kind had ever happened, » Depp told the jury. « Though [in] the relationship there were arguments and things of that nature…but never did I, myself, reach the point of striking Miss Heard in any way. Nor have I ever struck any woman in my life. » Depp went on to testify that his former wife had instead subjected him to « physical abuse » that was « constant. » He also accused Heard of « bullying » himself and others. « There was quite a lot of verbal abuse, there was quite a lot of name-calling, » said Depp. « Bullying. You know, making fun of whatever defect one might have… My brother wore glasses, so of course, he was ‘four eyes.' » On April 20, the court was played a secret recording that captured Heard admitting that she hit Depp, while explaining that she was not certain of all the details due to being « on an Ambien. » In the recording, Depp could be heard asking his former wife whether she had « lost memory » about « kicking » in the door of a bathroom that he had retreated to, before allegedly hitting him « in the skull. » « I was upset, there was a lot going on and I was on an Ambien, » Heard responded. « Why are you obsessing over the fact I cannot remember the way you are remembering it? I said I was sorry. I’m not denying it. » Later in the recording, Heard admonished Depp for repeatedly retreating to bathrooms when they have confrontations, arguing that he did not « escape the fight, » but avoided « the solution » and efforts to « work it out. » When Depp accused her of punching him, she disputed the specific claim but admitted to « hitting » him instead. « You didn’t get punched, you got hit, » Heard said in the recording. « I’m sorry I hit you like this, but I did not punch you. I did not f***ing deck you. I f***ing was hitting you. I don’t know what the motion of my actual hand was. But you’re fine. I did not hurt you. I did not punch you. I was hitting you. » Also on April 20, Depp testified about a fight where Heard allegedly threw a large bottle of vodka at him, resulting in injuries that included the severing of part of his fingertip. « She threw the large bottle and it made contact [with the bar] and shattered everywhere. I honestly didn’t feel the pain at first, » Depp said. « I felt heat, and I felt as if something were dripping down my hand and then I looked down and realized the tip of my finger had been severed and I was looking directly at my bone sticking out. » « I don’t know what a nervous breakdown feels like, but that’s probably the closest I’ve ever been, » the actor added. « I knew in my mind and my heart, this is not life. This is not life. No one should have to go through it. » When asked what he told the medical professionals had happened, Depp said, « I lied to him. I said that I had smashed it in these large accordion doors, » adding that he lied because he didn’t want to disclose that Heard was the one who allegedly caused the injury. « I didn’t want to get her in trouble. I tried to just keep things as copacetic and as easy as possible for everyone, » he said in the Virginia courtroom. « I did not want to put her name in that mix. » Heard has disputed the claim, saying that Depp cut his fingertip himself while being intoxicated for three straight days. She also alleged that Depp hit her, choked her and sexually assaulted her during the fight in question. During cross-examination on April 25, Heard’s attorney, J. Benjamin Rottenborn, played a series of audio recordings, capturing Heard and Depp in heated arguments. Heard was heard saying « go put your f***ing cigarettes out on someone else, you f***ing have consequences for your actions! » Depp replied « shut up fat a**. » On the stand, Depp called the recording a « grossly exaggerated moment » and denied putting a cigarette out on Heard. In another, Depp told Heard that walking away was « necessary. » « I’m not asking you to have a bloodbath walking away, » Heard replied, asking Depp to « work it out. » Rottenborn told Depp that audio wasn’t the first time he referred to an argument as a bloodbath.
