The Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation trial concluded its 13th day with a dramatic shift in narrative as Depp rested his case and Heard began her defense, introducing explosive allegations of sexual assault and graphic details of alleged abuse.
Depp Rests After Three Weeks of Testimony
Day 13 commenced with continued testimony from Aaron Fellotti, Heard’s former nurse, this time under questioning from Depp’s legal team. They sought to portray Heard as the unstable partner in the relationship, highlighting her history of anxiety, bipolar disorder, insomnia, eating disorders, codependency, and jealousy. Depp’s attorneys also cast doubt on the severity of Heard’s alleged facial injuries, suggesting they may have been caused by a pre-existing cyst on her eyelid rather than Depp’s alleged abuse.
Amber Heard listens to a witness during the defamation trial in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S. May 2, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hocking
Amber Heard attentively listening to a witness during the defamation trial in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S. on May 2, 2022.
Following Fellotti’s testimony, forensic accountant Mike Spindler took the stand, presenting his analysis of Depp’s alleged lost earnings due to the 2018 op-ed. Spindler estimated Depp’s losses at approximately $40 million, primarily attributing $22.5 million to his removal from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. However, under cross-examination, Spindler conceded that his calculations were based on the assumption that Heard’s op-ed directly caused these losses, without considering other contributing factors such as Depp’s alleged drug and alcohol use, declining box office performance, or the 2018 UK libel case where he was labeled a “wife beater.”
This cross-examination effectively highlighted the speculative nature of Spindler’s testimony and weakened the claim that Heard’s op-ed was solely responsible for Depp’s financial setbacks.
With Spindler’s testimony, Depp officially rested his case. However, the courtroom drama was far from over.
Heard’s Legal Team Seeks to Dismantle Depp’s Case
In a bold move outside the jury’s presence, Heard’s attorneys filed a motion to strike, requesting the judge to dismiss Depp’s case entirely. They argued that Depp had failed to present sufficient evidence to meet the legal threshold for defamation, specifically concerning the three statements in the Washington Post op-ed at the heart of the lawsuit.
These statements included Heard identifying herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse,” describing the “wrath” she experienced for speaking out, and highlighting how institutions protect “men accused of abuse.” Heard’s team contended that the headline, “I Spoke Up Against Sexual Violence — and Faced Our Culture’s Wrath,” was written by the Washington Post, not Heard, and therefore shouldn’t be attributed to her.
The judge ultimately decided to allow the case to proceed, denying the motion to strike for two of the three statements. However, she took the headline issue under advisement, acknowledging the possibility of striking the defamation claim related to it if it could be proven that Heard neither wrote nor endorsed it.
This development signifies a potential setback for Depp, as the headline carries significant weight in his defamation claim. The judge’s decision highlighted the complexities of defamation law and injected further uncertainty into the trial’s outcome.
Heard Takes the Stand: A Turning Point in the Trial
Following the motion to strike, the trial took a pivotal turn as Amber Heard began presenting her defense. Her first witness was Dr. Dawn Hughes, a clinical and forensic psychologist who had examined Heard.
Dr. Hughes’s testimony directly contradicted the narrative presented by Depp’s legal team and painted a starkly different picture of the couple’s relationship. She concluded that Heard’s reports of intimate partner violence, supported by the records she reviewed, were consistent with patterns of abuse characterized by physical violence, psychological aggression, sexual violence, coercive control, and surveillance behaviors.
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Johnny Depp waves as he leaves the Fairfax County Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., May 2, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hocking
Johnny Depp waves as he leaves the Fairfax County Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., on May 2, 2022.
Furthermore, Dr. Hughes diagnosed Heard with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), directly attributing it to the alleged abuse she endured during her relationship with Depp. This diagnosis stood in stark contrast to the testimony of Dr. Shannon Curry, Depp’s expert witness, who had previously diagnosed Heard with borderline personality disorder and cast doubt on her abuse claims.
Graphic Allegations of Abuse Surface
Dr. Hughes’s testimony went beyond simply refuting Depp’s narrative; it introduced new and disturbing allegations of abuse. She recounted an incident where Depp allegedly conducted a “cavity search” on Heard, ripping off her nightgown and penetrating her vagina with his fingers while searching for drugs. She also described another alleged incident in the Bahamas where Depp, in a fit of rage, allegedly assaulted Heard sexually.
These graphic descriptions of alleged sexual violence marked a significant development in the trial, shifting the focus from Depp’s claims of being a victim of domestic abuse to Heard’s accusations of experiencing severe and traumatic abuse.
Heard’s emotional reactions during Dr. Hughes’s testimony, a departure from her relatively stoic demeanor throughout the trial, further emphasized the gravity of the allegations.
The Trial Continues: Shifting Sands of Perspective
Day 13 of the Depp v. Heard trial concluded with a dramatic shift in momentum. Heard’s decision to testify, coupled with the compelling testimony of Dr. Hughes, challenged the narrative previously presented by Depp’s legal team and introduced disturbing new allegations of abuse. As the trial progresses, the jury will be tasked with sifting through the conflicting accounts and ultimately determining whether Depp has met the burden of proof for defamation.
