(AP)

Johnny Depp’s multimillion-dollar defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard will begin in Virginia later today. She claims that a 2018 article by Heard in the Washington Post – in which she spoke about domestic violence against women – implied that Depp, her ex-husband, was the perpetrator. Although the 35-year-old did not name the actor, Depp’s lawyers say that Herd’s allegations made it difficult for the 58-year-old to get roles he had in the past. Depp is best known for starring in films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Sweeney Todd and Charlie, and The Chocolate Factory. Heard has appeared in titles such as Aquaman and Drive Angry. He is seeking $ 50 million (£ 38.2 million) in damages during the Fairfax County District Court trial. Herd, meanwhile, has filed a counterclaim for defamation against Depp, whom she divorced in 2017, for harassment. Depp has previously lost a defamation case in the UK to the British newspaper The Sun over allegations in Herd’s 2018 article.

Basic points

Johnny Depp will face Amber Heard in the second trial The actors are expected to appear in the case Heard will use an anti-SLAPP device in defense

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Previous appearances of Depp and Herd at trial

This is not the first time Depp and Herd have appeared in court after failing to sue The Sun’s publishers for defamation in 2020. A judge ruled that the title of an article written by The Sun executive editor Dan Wootton in 2018 was “essentially true”. He described the actor as a “husband hitter”, which he denies. Depp, whose lawyers described the judge’s decision as “distorted”, was not even allowed to appeal the decision. He also denied the allegations made in the article by Herd, who spoke in court as a witness during the case in the Royal Courts of Justice in London. While Depp says he was forced to resign from his role in Fantastic Beasts – a spin-off of Harry Potter – after the trial, he has attended a number of film events and was awarded the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain for Lifetime Achievement . The decision turned out to be extremely controversial. Oliver O’Connell11 April 2022 16:59 1649691623

Who could testify during the trial?

In anticipation of the trial that is due to begin today in Virginia, Depp and Herd have each published a list of witnesses that their teams may want to call, writes Clémence Michallon of the Independent. Everyone has submitted lists of objections to some of the witnesses on the other side, so the final group of witnesses will become clearer and can evolve as the process continues. Some of the people who have been named as possible witnesses so far include Tesla founder Elon Musk and actor James Franco … Oliver O’Connell11 April 2022 16:40 1649690495

Why the trial in Virginia?

Although the couple both live in California, Depp’s defamation case against his ex-wife is in Virginia, where the trial will take place in Fairfax County District Court. The online versions of the Washington Post are published on servers located in Fairfax County, which is believed to be one of the reasons why Depp’s attorneys decide on the site. Another is because of the Virginia Slapp Act, which is not as widespread as it is in California. The provision allows an individual to claim protection from litigation when talking about issues that concern the public. Heard’s lawyers, who have filed a defamation suit, are expected to use the law against Slapp during the trial. It comes four years after her Washington Post article: I spoke out against sexual violence – and faced the rage of our culture. That needs to change. Additional report from the Associated Press Oliver O’Connell11 April 2022 16:21 1649688759

Johnny Depp fans waited outside the courthouse to see the actor

(EPA)
(EPA)

Oliver O’Connell11 April 2022 15:52 1649687425

Heard said in 2020 that she wanted to be alone

Appearing as a witness during Depp’s trial against Britain’s The Sun in 2020, Herd said she wanted to be “alone” and wanted her ex-husband to drop domestic abuse allegations to “save him”. embarrassment”. “I did not want to do that, I did not want to reveal all this to what really happened to me,” Herd told the Royal Courts of Justice in London. “I did not want to talk about everything that happened in our marriage and happened in our relationship.” While Dep Press. two years ago. The judge ruled against Depp, who accused The Sun publisher of defaming him with a headline that included the words “woman hitter”. His lawyers later called the judge’s decision “distorted.” Gino Spocchia 11 April 2022 15:30 1649686669

Depp and Herd arrived at the courthouse

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have gone to court for selecting jurors in a $ 50 million defamation lawsuit. Oliver O’Connell11 April 2022 15:17 1649686257

Franco and Musk to testify

James Franco and Elon Musk are among the well-known names who will testify during the Depp-Herd affair. WandaVision’s Paul Bethany, as well as representatives of Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., will also appear in Fairfax County court, Deadline reported. The long overdue trial is set to begin later today with the selection of jurors. Gino Spocchia 11 April 2022 15:10 1649685357

The high-profile legal dispute between Depp and Herd was featured in a documentary TV series last year on Discovery Plus, which sought to reveal the reasons behind the couple’s two “polarized prospects”. The program – Johnny v Amber – was also described as the story of “the collapse” of Depp and Herd’s relationship, including “how he got into the celebrity court case of the decade”. Gino Spocchia 11 April 2022 14:55 1649684457

Why the trial in Virginia?

Although the couple both live in California, Depp’s defamation case against his ex-wife is in Virginia, where the trial will take place in Fairfax County District Court. The online versions of the Washington Post are published on servers located in Fairfax County, which is believed to be one of the reasons why Depp’s attorneys decide on the site. Another is because of the Virginia Slapp Act, which is not as widespread as it is in California. The provision allows an individual to claim protection from litigation when talking about issues that concern the public. Heard’s lawyers, who have filed a defamation suit, are expected to use the law against Slapp during the trial. It comes four years after her Washington Post article: I spoke out against sexual violence – and faced the rage of our culture. That needs to change. Additional report from the Associated Press Gino Spocchia 11 April 2022 14:40 1649683825

Out of court

The courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia will be occupied in the coming weeks, as Depp and Herd will be tried there. A live broadcast will be broadcast by the court when the trial begins, although it is unclear if there will be a flow on Monday, when the jury will be selected. The Fairfax County General Court building (Getty Images) Gino Spocchia 11 April 2022 14:30