Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard: Legal professionals ship closing statements in defamation trial – Nationwide

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After six weeks of legally battling each other, actors and ex-spouses Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are lastly approaching the top of their televised trial proceedings.

Depp, 58, sued Heard, 36, for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Courtroom over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Submit describing herself as “a public determine representing home abuse.”

His legal professionals say he was defamed by the article although it by no means talked about his title.

Closing statements are being offered by every of their legal professionals in courtroom Friday, with a jury verdict to comply with probably within the coming days.

As trial proceedings started, Decide Penney Azcarate gave the seven jury members many prolonged directions on find out how to determine a verdict, each in Depp’s USD$50-million defamation declare and Heard’s $100-million counterclaim.

Certainly one of Depp’s legal professionals, Camille Vasquez, offered closing argument first. She advised the jury that Heard had “falsely advised the world she was a sufferer of home violence by the hands of Mr. Depp.”

“What’s at stake on this trial is a person’s good title,” Vasquez mentioned, including Depp’s life can also be at stake within the trial.

“There may be an abuser on this courtroom, however it isn’t Mr. Depp,” Vasquez mentioned, claiming as an alternative Heard was the abuser, and Depp the sufferer.

Vasquez referred to as Heard “extremely aggressive, violent and merciless.” She additionally insisted Depp skilled “persistent and aggressive” abuse by the hands of his ex-wife.

A number of audio clips have been once more performed in courtroom, typically that includes arguments between the previous couple.

Vasquez advised the jury Heard didn’t simply need a divorce from Depp in 2016, she needed to damage him.

One other lawyer on Depp’s workforce, Benjamin Chew, additionally delivered closing statements to the jury.

“You may have now come to know the actual Amber Heard: scary,” he mentioned.

“That is Me Too, with none Me Too,” Chew advised the jury.

Chew, whereas claiming Heard was persistently untruthful in her testimony, mentioned that Depp “didn’t and doesn’t need to have his life, his legacy, destroyed by some lie.”

In abstract, Chew requested the jury to provide Depp his life, profession and fame again by awarding a verdict in his favour.

Subsequent, one among Heard’s legal professionals, Ben Rottenborn, delivered closing statements on her behalf. He argued Depp and his workforce have executed all the things of their energy to damage Heard’s fame and profession.

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Rottenborn advised the jury simply because Depp had tried to persuade the general public Heard’s Washington Submit article is about him, doesn’t imply it’s. He argued as an alternative that nice care was taken in writing the article to make sure the textual content didn’t level to Depp, claiming quite it was meant to reclaim her story.

“This isn’t successful piece on Johnny Depp,” he mentioned.

He referred to as Depp’s claims in opposition to Heard “disgusting” and “sufferer blaming.”

“This complete case is about blaming Amber Heard for issues she didn’t do, as a result of that’s what Mr. Depp does,” Rottenborn mentioned.

“If Amber was abused by Mr. Depp even one time, then she wins,” he advised the jury, reminding the courtroom that bodily, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse are additionally worthy of a verdict in her favour.

“It’s not about who’s the higher partner. It’s not about whether or not you assume Amber was additionally abusive to Mr. Depp,” he advised the jury.

“They’re making an attempt to trick you into pondering Amber must be good to be able to win,” he mentioned.

A number of graphic textual content messages despatched by Depp to numerous individuals (together with Marvel star Paul Bettany) have been then proven once more in courtroom, together with messages the place Depp says he wish to drown, burn and commit necrophilia on Heard’s corpse.

Heard’s legal professionals once more claimed Depp has extreme drug and alcohol abuse points. Rottenborn offered the courtroom pictures, audio and textual content messages, all referencing Depp’s alleged addictions. As soon as extra, he claimed Depp turned a “monster” when below the affect.

Depp has maintained he has by no means been hooked on medicine or alcohol (apart from Roxicodone).

“Mr. Depp can merely not show to you that he by no means abused Amber,” Rottenborn advised the jury.

Rottenborn maintained that any losses to Depp’s profession or fame weren’t attributable to Heard and her op-ed, however quite Depp’s personal actions.

Lastly, one other of Heard’s legal professionals, Elaine Bredehoft, spoke to the jury about Heard’s $100-million counterclaim in opposition to Depp.

“We’re asking you to lastly maintain this man accountable,” Bredehoft requested of the jury, including they need to “absolutely and pretty compensate Amber for what he’s executed.”

“What would Amber Heard’s motive be for making this a hoax? For making this up?” Bredehoft questioned aloud.

She went on to say Amber was amicable in her divorce from Depp and subsequent settlement, and didn’t need his cash or to damage his fame.

Earlier this week, each Depp and Heard returned to the stand for a second time.

On Wednesday, Depp advised the courtroom that it’s been “insane” listening to Heard’s accusations in opposition to him.

“It’s insane to listen to heinous accusations of violence, sexual violence, that’s she’s attributed to me,” he mentioned. “I don’t assume anybody enjoys having to separate themselves open and inform the reality. However there are occasions when one has to, because it’s gotten uncontrolled.”

He referred to as his time in courtroom “ridiculous, humiliating, painful, savage, unimaginably brutal and merciless” in addition to calling all the things that’s been mentioned about him “false.”

On Thursday, Heard turned emotional as she advised the jury about how this trial and its widespread publicity has affected her.

“I’m harassed, humiliated and threatened each single day,” she mentioned.

“Folks need to kill me they usually inform me so day by day,” she mentioned, her voice quivering.

Heard insisted that whereas she “wouldn’t want this case on my worst enemy,” she has used her platform to supply a voice for home violence victims.

“It’s been agonizing, painful and probably the most humiliating factor I’ve ever needed to undergo,” she mentioned in regards to the trial. “I simply need Johnny to go away me alone.”