Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard arrived separately at Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia on Tuesday morning for Day 1 of their long-awaited $ 50 million defamation suit. Although the actors and their ex-husbands wore costumes, the energy around the courthouse was far from restrained, as the full television broadcasts quickly became a spectacle in the media. American actor Johnny Depp leaves Fairfax County Court after the first day of litigation between him and his ex-wife, American actress Amber Heard, in Fairfax, Va., On April 12, 2022. American actress Amber Heard leaves Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., April 12, 2022. Getty The court hearing is the latest in a highly public court battle between the divorced couple, with Herd, 35, and Depp, 58, claiming to be victims of domestic violence. The original lawsuit began when Depp filed a $ 50 million defamation lawsuit against a Washington Post article written by Herd in late 2018 about domestic abuse. The story goes on under the ad Heard did not mention Depp by name in the article, although court documents claim he’s reputation and career were still “damaged” as a result.
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The lawsuits started with the opening statements of the lawyers of both actors, starting with the lawyer of Depp Benjamin Chu. Chu told Judge Penney S. Azcarate and the seven-member jury (plus four deputies) that Heard’s allegations of domestic violence had described the Pirates of the Caribbean actor as “bad.” 2:12 Defamation trial Johnny Depp, Amber Heard: Heard claims Depp sexually assaulted Johnny Depp defamation lawsuit, Amber Heard: Heard claims Depp sexually assaulted her “For almost 30 years, Mr. Depp has built a reputation as one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, a respected artist whose name has been associated with success at the box office,” Chu told the court. “Today, his name is associated with a lie, a false statement made by his ex-wife.” Trending Stories
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The story goes on under the ad “Words matter. “They are painting an image in our minds,” he told the court. “Words can evoke strong emotions and cause irreparable harm.” Chu argued that although Herd never named Depp in the Washington Post article, he did not have to do so, as the article was published two years after he had already accused Depp of abuse. Depp’s lawyer also claimed that no one in “five decades” had previously accused the actor of violence or “any kind of abuse with a woman”. Chu told the court that any evidence that he was a victim of domestic violence committed by Depp would prove to be a “lie.” Camille Vasquez, also Depp’s lawyer, claimed that “Ms. “Heard took on the role of her life, she could not go back.”
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“This lie has been living and breathing for years now,” Basques said. “He is preparing to give the performance of a lifetime in this test.” After a short break, Herd’s attorney, J. Ben Rottenborn, delivered the opening remarks of the defense. Rottenborn read the entire Washington Post article – “I spoke out against sexual violence – and faced the rage of our culture. That must change “- to the jury. The story goes on under the ad “Amber’s words in this article were not about Depp, they were not about her marriage, they were not about her relationship – they were about life after that,” she said. “This is freedom of speech. This is not the soap opera that Depp will turn this case into. The issue is not who you like best. It’s not even that you agree with the words he wrote. It’s her right to say it. “ “Amber accused Johnny of abuse,” Rothenborn said. “This statement is true. You do not have to relive every close detail of their marriage. “ “You do not have to decide what happened on any one day of their wedding to determine that the First Amendment protects this statement because it is true,” he said. “She wants you to forget it. Do not take the bait. “ Rottenborn told the court it was Depp’s “bad behavior” that caused his reputation to be tarnished. Another Heard lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, also told the court about a trip to Australia that she claimed was a “three-day hostage situation”. Bredehoft claimed that Depp took eight to 10 ecstasy pills in Australia before sexually assaulting Heard and “penetrating her with a drink bottle”. After a lunch break, the first witness took the stand – Depp’s sister, Christi Dembrowski. He talked about Depp’s childhood and claimed abuse from their parents. She also told the court that she was acting as a “personal manager” for Depp and said she was still working with her brother. The story goes on under the ad
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As the trial continues, jurors will hear several possible witnesses, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, actor James Franco and Marvel WandaVision star Paul Bettany. Franco and Musk got into an affair when Depp accused them of having an affair with Herd. Both Franco and Musk are on Herd’s list of witnesses. Bettany, who had many personal and annoying text messages with Depp that were read in court in 2020, will testify as a member of Depp’s team. Both Depp and Herd also plan to take part in the trial in person. The trial is expected to take about six weeks, with a jury ruling to determine whether Herd defamed Depp at the end of the trial. © 2022 Global News, part of Corus Entertainment Inc.
