The dueling trial of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard began on Tuesday at Fairfax in Virginia. The actors’ lawyers made opening statements. The trial will last five to six weeks, and the actors will also testify. However, the opening statements were reminiscent of the London libel trial in 2020 and their divorce trial in 2016.
There were accusations of physical assault, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and elaborate lies. Depp is suing Heard for a libel of $50 million about a Washington op-ed written by Amber Heard. Amber has countersued Johnny for $100 million due to the refutation of her claims by his lawyer.
Lawyers Of Johnny Depp Initiated The Trial
The Pirates of the Caribbean star was represented by Benjamin Chew and Camille Vasquez. Chew began with the opening statements. He said, “For nearly 30 years, Mr. Depp built a reputation as one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, a respected artist whose name was associated with success at the box office. Today, his name is associated with a lie, a false statement uttered by his former wife.”
Benjamin re-introduced the Op-ed that Heard wrote in 2018. The article stated that she was a “survivor” of domestic abuse. Though she did not mention any names, Chew argued that it was pretty evident to whom the article was referring. He also mentioned the domestic violence restraining order that she made after the divorce trial in 2016.
Chew continued, “The evidence will show that her publicist and the paparazzi were there at the courthouse to document the event, to make sure that Johnny Depp’s name was forever associated with the image of an innocent battered woman. It was a jolt. It was a shocking story splashed across front pages across the country.”
Another attorney for Depp, Camille Vasquez alleged that Amber charmed him by winning his heart, but the actor was resistant at first due to the relationship he was in with Vanessa Paradis.
The witness list from Depp’s side included a personal assistant, property managers, personal nurses, and a marriage counselor. Further, a forensic pathologist will take a look at the injuries that took place during a vacation in Australia, where Depp severed his finger. As per him the injuries in the picture were inconsistent with the allegations.
The opening statements made by both the attorneys had projected Amber Heard as a manipulator, an aggressive partner, and image obsessed woman. Johnny Depp looked satisfied with the arguments presented by both Chew and Vasquez.
Amber’s Op-Ed Was About Freedom Of Speech As Per Her Attorney
Complex civil litigation expert J. Ben Rottenborn represented Heard as he started with his opening statement, he read the entire Washington Post op-ed written by his client. He wanted to prove that the reference is not at all made to Depp. In his opening statement, he said, “Amber’s words in this article that wasn’t about Depp, wasn’t about her marriage, wasn’t about her relationship—was about life after that.”
He continued “It’s about the freedom of speech. It’s not about the soap opera that Depp will turn this case into, or who you like better. It’s not even about whether you agree with the words that she wrote, but her right to speak them.”
Amber’s lawyer presented three alleged references to Depp. About that, he said, “Amber did accuse Johnny of abuse and she saw how he, at the same time that her career took a downturn and that he did everything that he could to try to wreck her career as the evidence will see, that she accused him of abuse.”
Amber Heard did not write the title of the Op-Ed, he confirmed. “She did accuse Johnny of abuse and she saw how he, at the same time that her career took a downturn and that he did everything that he could to try to wreck her career as the evidence will see, that she accused him of abuse.” Rottenborn has made sure that they will prove the allegations of faking domestic violence wrong by introducing photographic, audio, and visual evidence.
The legal team of Heard also made sure that specialists from the arena of drug addictions, domestic abuse, and even orthopedic experts addressed the Australia vacation incident. Heard’s therapists will also testify. As the trial began yesterday, it will probably last for five to six weeks.
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