Johnny Depp’s Attorneys Kick Off Closing Arguments In Defamation Trial

Attorneys for Johnny Depp started their closing arguments in his $50 million defamation case towards ex-wife Amber Heard in a Virginia courtroom on Friday, alleging that the stakes have been sky-high.

Not simply “a person’s good title” however “a person’s life” hung within the stability, in line with Camille Vasquez, the lawyer championed by Depp followers on-line for the condescending model of questioning she utilized in cross-examination with Heard.

Depp maintains that Heard lied about him in a 2018 Washington Publish editorial that described herself as a survivor of home violence, inflicting him to lose out on multimillion-dollar movie offers together with the sixth “Pirates of the Caribbean” installment.

Though the editorial didn’t title Depp, his staff says it was abundantly clear the piece referred to him, on condition that it referenced the 12 months Heard obtained a short lived restraining order towards her then-husband.

“On Could 27, 2016, Ms. Heard walked right into a courthouse in Los Angeles, California, to get a no-notice ex parte restraining order towards Mr. Depp, and in doing so, ruined his life by falsely telling the world that she was a survivor of home abuse by the hands of Mr. Depp,” Vasquez started her argument earlier than the jury, noting that it had been six years to the day.

“As you most likely know by now, my title is Camille Vasquez,” she instructed the courtroom.

Heard has defended her claims and is countersuing Depp for $100 million.

Between Vasquez and legal professional Benjamin Chew, Depp’s staff dutifully summarized the proof they’d offered to the jury over the course of the six-week trial. They replayed a few of the audio and visible highlights, together with a clip of Heard saying, “Babe, you’re not punched. I used to be hitting you.” The proof portrayed Heard as an unreasonable one who was “violent, abusive [and] merciless” to Depp, whereas he was “by no means” bodily violent in response, in line with Vasquez.

“She is a deeply troubled particular person violently afraid of abandonment, determined for approval,” Vasquez mentioned of Heard, reminding jurors of testimony from a psychiatrist employed by Depp who claimed that Heard has borderline persona dysfunction. A psychological well being skilled employed by Heard testified that she suffered from PTSD from her relationship with Depp.

Chew instructed the jury that home abuse was “the worst factor” you may allege towards a person within the wake of the #MeToo motion, which he mentioned Depp supported.

The Hollywood couple cut up in 2016, and phrases of their divorce have been finalized in early 2017. Whereas Heard had pledged to separate her $7 million settlement between two causes ― the ACLU and a Los Angeles youngsters’s hospital ― testimony at trial indicated she solely donated a fraction of the funds, as Vasquez reminded the jury. Casting doubt on Heard’s credibility, she performed a clip through which Heard asserts she donated the total quantity in an on-camera interview.

Depp’s staff downplayed the proof offered towards their shopper, together with the video clip secretly recorded by Heard that confirmed the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star slamming cupboards and pouring himself an enormous glass of crimson wine.

Heard’s staff could have two hours to current their very own closing arguments earlier than the jury goes off to deliberate.