Johnny Depp Takes Stand in Libel Trial, Claims Amber Heard Hit Him

Johnny Depp In Libel Case Against The Sun Newspaper

Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

And so it begins. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard arrived at a High Court in London earlier today (July 07, 2020) for what will be a three-week libel trial over allegations that Depp assaulted her.

Heard arrived with her girlfriend Bianca Butti, sister Whitney, and lawyer Jennifer Robinson as they walked hand-in-hand into the courtroom.

Depp is suing The Sun newspaper as well as its executive editor Dan Wootton over claims that he behaved like a “violent monster” to Heard during their two-year marriage.

Depp denies allegations that he hit Heard and will spend the next three days on the stand being questioned in what is being referred to as a “blockbuster trial.”

The actor had tried to get Heard banned from entering the court but failed in his attempts. That did not work out so well.

Not only does Depp deny Heard’s assault allegations, but he also says that she assaulted him.

Heard claims that her former husband slapped, shoved, and choked her after a night of drug use and drinking.

It was reported back in April that Depp planned to show footage that he believed would prove he didn’t abuse Heard.

In total, there are said to be 87 videos taken of Amber between May 21 to May 26 in 2016, and she interacted with multiple employees of the building, who have testified that they did not see any injuries on her.

Opening Remarks in Johnny Depp Trial

In his written opening remarks, Depp’s lead counsel, David Sherborne said that one of the issues the court needs to decide is “whether the allegations published by the defendants are true.” “If it finds that they are untrue, as we say they are, then the court will proceed to make an award of damages,” he said.

“It will come as no surprise to hear that this is not a case about money. It is about vindication. Mr. Depp has made that clear at various hearings. That is why he has come here – to clear his reputation.”

In his note, Sherborne gave a summary of the main allegations of domestic violence at the heart of the case. He said it is Depp’s case that he “did not attack Ms. Heard on these occasions or at all.”

‘Very happy’ Ed Sheeran wins US copyright trial

“Ms. Heard has invented these stories of serious violence,” the barrister said. “He (Depp) is not and never has been a wife-beater. Indeed, he says that it was Ms Heard who was the one who started physical fights, who punched or hit him (and there was little he could really do to stop this); she was the abuser, not him. And the contemporaneous evidence fully supports that, as the court will hear.”

Depp is also suing Heard for $50 million in the US over a column she wrote for the Washington Post where she described herself as a “domestic abuse victim.”

Depp claims that despite not naming him, it goes against defamation laws.

The UK court case will have a huge impact on the one in the US, it is believed.