Ironically or perhaps predictably the protestations of Depps total innocence have turned into online mobs swarming anyone who disagrees and believes that Heard is the victim. Reps for Depp and Heard declined to comment. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images. ", JOHNNY DEPP V. AMBER HEARD: THE SHOCKING TRIAL'S WILDEST MOMENTS. 10:17 a.m. April 25, 2022: An earlier version said a judge in Londons Royal Courts of Justice determined in 2018 that Johnny Depp had not been libeled. Heard didnt help her case when she attached it to #MeToo movement. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Depp lost his case. "I think that Amber was the aggressor 100%. I felt as though I was on trial in the court of public opinion. Perhaps she was, but writing an op-ed in The Washington Post is not exactly the way to reclaim ones privacy. Johnny Depp, Amber Heard and the court of public opinion Elizabeth Renzetti Published April 27, 2022 Updated April 28, 2022 This article was published more than 6 months ago. A jury in Fairfax, Va., on Wednesday ruled in Johnny Depp's favor, and he will be awarded more than $10 million in his defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard. He went into this knowing that all of this was going to come out, Ahouraian said. Twitter: @AbcarianLAT. He has denied it and no charges were filed, but she was granted a temporary restraining order after swearing to the court that she feared for her life. At the time, he blamed the destruction on an armadillo hiding in the closet. 2023 Cable News Network. While Depp was not named in the article, his lawyers argue that Heard's implication is obvious. Life is stressful. ", TOP 5 TAKEAWAYS FROM JOHNNY DEPP DEFAMATION TRIAL, She said he shoved his fingers insider her. The exhibits presented on her behalf are also disturbing. Heard said she confided in her therapist and her mother, who has since passed away. While Depp is not named in Heard's piece, his legal team insists that it is strongly inferred that the article is about him. (Jim Watson/Pool/AFP), Constantine added that she thinks Heard either has "borderline personality disorder" (BPD) or "some emotional insecurity issues. Toplines: Results among U.S. adult citizens for every question. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. In 1994, he trashed a $1,200-a-night Manhattan hotel room he shared with then-girlfriend Kate Moss and paid nearly $10,000 for the damage. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. He is suing his ex-wife for $50 million, alleging she defamed him in her 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she described herself as a victim of domestic abuse. But its not just the internet. Now, Heard denied that and testified that Depp was routinely, like, jealous and angry and abusive and even sexually assaulted her. Legal Statement. However, there was a subsequent outpouring of support from Twitter users who pointed out systemic disbelief of women who come forward with stories of abuse. So far were experiencing a textbook case of what philosopher Kate Manne has labelled himpathy the tendency to extend undue empathy to men, and make excuses for certain behaviours. They must have been terrifying.) Ms. Heard may win or lose this new trial, but shes already lost in the court of public opinion. Here's Depp's lawyer, Benjamin Chew, speaking just outside the courthouse yesterday, thanking the jury and Depp supporters. Saturday Night Live recently parodied the drama, recycling the spectacle and multiplying the number of times it appears in my feed. There are ambiguities in the sordid conflict between the divorced actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, but some things are clear. Its like vitriol, the California lawyer added. Indeed, one of the most sensational details from the trial the one thats been used to jeer at Heard across every form of media might just as easily fit into a story of her victimization. Heard has also denied allegations of abuse, and her legal team. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The most expert insight probably comes from the couples marriage counselor. UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny. The actress also described incidents in which Depp slapped her multiple times, pinned her against a wall and choked her, and did a "cavity search" on her while looking for his cocaine. Actor Johnny Depp waves to the gallery as he leaves for a break Monday during his defamation trial in Fairfax, Va. against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Statistics paint a big picture but they dont tell us what did or did not happen between two people. Later, it was Johnny Depp who first sued ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation after the latter wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post. Amber Heard attends trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on April 19, 2022. "In our society," Bedera said, "we expect that victims fit a specific mold. And while Depp may come out a little tarnished and is not a family man anymore after the trial, Engelmayer says Depp has shown how vast his base of supporters and fans is, which could appeal to studios considering hiring him for new projects. So what's this all about? But he's denying that Amber Heard's story of it is trustworthy, and instead saying that she drove him to violence." Photos introduced as evidence depict a gruesome injury. Andrew, before we start, we should say we will be talking about domestic violence and sexual assault. Market data provided by Factset. Johnny Depp has lost his court case against a British tabloid that labelled the actor a "wife beater." The judge said he believed the claims were "substantially true." According to a Statistics. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst/Pool), She aslo claimed that Depp's apparent vulnerability and embarrassment while speaking about his struggle with substance abuse is indicative of "someone that was a survivor.". Their marriage counselor testified that both abused each other. And remember, this is when the #MeToo movement was hitting a sort of a cultural peak. Depp, you may know by now, accused Heard or one of her friends of defecating in her bed as an act of revenge, and his bodyguard said shed confessed to a prank gone wrong. I often write about intimate partner violence (most recently in an ongoing series with my colleagues Tavia Grant and Molly Hayes), and whats frustrating is how much attention this trial is sucking up. Heard has admitted hitting Depp, and has been recorded insulting and belittling him. And, you know, she didn't name Depp, but the two had just come out of a pretty public and messy divorce. There's no way for an outsider to easily judge the dueling claims in the court battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. We've received your submission. There seems, however, to be a broader misogynist frenzy at work, one characteristic of the deeply reactionary moment were living through. MARTINEZ: That was NPR's Andrew Limbong. What does she wear? I need him on his best behavior and he gets one shot.. Unless you happen to live on under a rock, you've probably heard of the name Johnny Depp. She is countersuing. On Monday, actor Johnny Depp is scheduled to return to the stand in the defamation trial between him and his former wife, Amber Heard, that is taking place in Fairfax County, Va. Depp. Depp won$10 million in compensatory damages and, $5 million in punitive damages. twitter. He also did show that he has a huge fan base and he can bring a big crowd, Engelmayer said. The problem of choosing facts to believe is not confined to celebrities. appreciated. However, Ahouraian noted, Depps legal team made sure to address Heards allegations against him head-on, giving his perspective on what happened. Their tumultuous short-lived marriage has resulted in years of acrimony and courtroom drama spanning two continents. Amber Heard testifies that Johnny Depp hit her on May 4, 2022. Heard wrote that Depps alleged use of drugs and alcohol periodically led to violence, after which he would sober up and apologize. In a highly-publicized court case, his ex-wife Amber Heard appeared as a witness on . The actors completed their whirlwind divorce years ago but continue to volley accusations of physical abuse in what has turned out to be a battle for public opinion. Follow Elizabeth Renzetti on Twitter: @lizrenzettiOpens in a new window. Lau said the timeline of events leading to Heard's accusations and inconsistencies in her story may be swaying the public to sympathize with Depp. Heard complains that this sordid story has hurt hers. And so his side of the story has been told in full. "Whether Depp was violent or abused Heard is at issue here, so the credibility of the parties is vital and every inconsistency will be exposed to help the jury determine who they believe more.". Depp testified at length about the childhood abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother, Betty Sue, even flinching on the stand as he described how hed protect himself when she walked past him at home. Amber Heard on April 13 and Johnny Depp on April 11. After a man burst in with a gun, a San Francisco synagogue confronts hate, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. Both Depp and Heard seem to have a loose relationship with the truth. The jury in the defamation trial in Virginia between the actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard found that Mr. Depp had been defamed in a 2018 op-ed, a verdict that handed . CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. And the reality is that Johnny Depp is facing a lot of consequences for committing acts of violence, not just to Amber Heard but also for volatile behavior on set. The trial has drawn endless commentary on social media that is largely heavily critical of Heard. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. "Given the timeline of the events leading to Heard's statements, including inconsistencies in the couple's joint statement just one year before her statements in the Washington Post op-ed, it doesn't surprise me that there is more sympathy for Depp than Heard in this case," Lau said. On Tuesday, the actor's legal team rested their case after 13 days of testimony as Depp says Amber Heard ruined . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The six-week-long trial is meant to decide whether statements made in the media by both actors have cost them their public image and potential earnings. Engelmayer also said he believes Heard could still continue her career after the trial with studios that want to be on the right side of social history giving her roles in smaller films. Things may change once Ms. Heard takes the stand. Robin Abcarian is an opinion columnist at the Los Angeles Times. And this is really common in cases like this, where perpetrators will claim that they are the true victims. 'and see how many people believe or side with you.". Legal Statement. The volatile actress who at times was violent toward Depp, and who never made good on a promise to donate her entire divorce settlement to charity is very far from a perfect victim. Trial watchers obsess over the tiniest details to claim that Heard is a drug user and therefore untrustworthy. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. EDITORS NOTE: Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. Actor Johnny Depp testifies as an article seen on a screen is entered into evidence, during the trial at Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Were supposed to believe that the trial is a grotesque celebrity sideshow, a media circus, a distraction from the ongoing crises of war and climate change. Depp texted a friend that he wanted to kill Heard and. Heard, for her part, has accused Depp of many assaults, including a surprise accusation in the latest trial that he sexually assaulted her once while he was black-out drunk. The ruling was made in 2020. Did you encounter any technical issues? Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Its really bad up here. Stranded residents in San Bernardino Mountains brace for more snow, Column: Supreme Court conservatives may want to block student loan forgiveness. Johnny Depp won his defamation trial, and Amber Heard has partially won her countersuit against Depp. Originating in the abuse and harassment of women in Hollywood, #MeToo did serve a purpose. I know it lasted a long time. "[W]e do talk about her dress code. And that's the fight we're having in public right now.". Primary Menu Sections Skip to search results Johnny Depp, left, and Amber Heard arrive for the European premiere of their 2011 film, The Rum Diary, in London. [There is] a lot at stake for her. Depp is suing Heard for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse." Though Depp was not. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Amber Heards lawyer grills Johnny Depp during cross-examination with a slew of embarrassing messages that might undermine parts of Depps testimony. Her father had beaten her, she was not going to end. Related:How Amber Heard Really Felt About The Public Hate During The Johnny Depp Trial We call it the perfect victim trope. The actor is suing his ex-wife for defamation over an op-ed she wrote about domestic violence in The Washington Post in 2018. The misogyny of fandom has produced toxic results before, and what is a woman particularly one who may be the victim of emotional or physical abuse supposed to take away from the vitriol this trial has unleashed? Everyone thinks that any activity against them is bots or whatever, the groups founder, Chris Bouzy, told me. (Elizabeth Frantz/Pool/AFP) The actress also described incidents in. When Mr. Depp testified in the first days of the trial, the headline on Ms. Heards article was brought glaringly to light. The court of public opinion is the wrong place to do this. We can all agree that the trial of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard is a unique and cultural moment. But in this case, some of it was Bouzy estimated that there were 340 inauthentic Twitter accounts devoted to defaming Heard and amplifying petitions calling for her to be fired from acting and modeling gigs. But even if you believe that Heard acted inexcusably, the idea that she was the primary aggressor against a larger man with far more resources who was recorded cursing at her for daring to speak in an authoritative way defies logic. But the other reason is that in online spaces, we often see that men's rights groups and other anti-feminist groups are better organized. When Depp testified, the hashtags #AmberTurd and #MePoo shot across the internet. If you want to know what mutually assured destruction looks like, forget about Russia vs. Ukraine for a minute and check out the spectacle of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard. So, really, a bad move on Amber Heard's legal team," Constantine said, adding that Heard's pantsuit mimics her ex-husband. Bedera also says that she is concerned about the impact this trial could have on victims of intimate partner violence and their willingness to come forward. Column: 15 minutes of fame flies by. Men can of course be harmed by intimate partner violence, and they are deserving of support. "One question I have right now, in our sort of post-#MeToo moment," Bedera commented, "we're trying to decide what the consequences should be for intimate partner violence. If shes not a psychopath, shes the casualty of a truly sadistic reputational hit job. The seven-member jury - made up of five men and two women - is simultaneously deciding on Johnny Depp's defamation suit and Amber Heard's countersuit. "I know she led (the fights) on more than one occasion and started it to keep him with her because abandonment and having him leave was her worst nightmare," Anderson said last week. Myths and stereotypes about domestic abuse also influence the public's reactions. "This is something I say a lot," she continued. Yet even if trolls and bots helped juice anti-Heard mania, there are obviously plenty of real people participating in it. Based on Depps testimony and graphic, violent text messages that he sent about Heard, which were presented at the trial, he also seems to revel in misogynist violent fantasies. (She is countersuing for $100 million.). 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 20. Hyper-organizing" and described the actress as "belligerent and abusive.". And, you know, now, Depp's argument for suing her was that the op-ed was baseless and that it cost him roles, you know, including another "Pirates Of The Caribbean" movie. And he happens to be a victim of domestic violence," the behavior analyst said, calling Depp an "internal processor" based on the movement of his eyes and other body language while he is recounting past events on the witness stand. She has indeed faced the cultures wrath. Actor Johnny Depp attends his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., April 27, 2022. She described the disorders as "two sides of the same coin" that feature "dramatic, erratic and emotional" behavior. Anyone can read what you share. A thread that dives into the May 21, 2016 incident, the one that prompted Amber Heard to leave Johnny Depp for good. All rights reserved. The actor has accused Heard of throwing a bottle of vodka at him, smashing his hand and slicing his finger; throwing a bottle of mineral spirits at his face; and being emotionally abusive. But Im among the numberless hordes who are gruesomely fascinated by the spectacle unfolding in a Virginia courtroom, and on social-media platforms around the world. Amber Heard 's defense rested its case on Thursday after an exhaustive six-week trial. Heard countersued Depp after his lawyer said her claims were false in statements to the press. California entertainment lawyer Mitra Ahouraian added that the case isnt really about winning a defamation claim but about clearing Depps name in the public sphere, as hes said. He said he was looking for his drugs, his cocaine, his coke. "[T]he question is, was he abusive with Amber? On April 11, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard reported to a Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom for a long-awaited defamation trial that would air all the dirty laundry of their tumultuous marriage. We know that domestic violence is a hidden epidemic, and is vastly underreported. Actor Johnny Depp has had a wild last few years, as his notoriety shifted from this career as a character actor to this long legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard. Or, in Canada, the pressing issue of training judges to recognize intimate partner violence, which is the subject of a current private members bill in the House of Commons. The video ends when he sees that she is recording him and furiously grabs the phone. It was about, like, six weeks. For too many social media users, Depp fandom and a bizarrely inflated sense of purpose and self-righteousness around this trial have become pretexts for a familiar hobby: harassing women online. And while they arent going to make him the lovable hero in the next movie, they could make him the hate-able villain or the lovable villain.. She is human. This doesnt mean that the case is entirely straightforward. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Rihannas zodiac sign reveals secrets to her Super Bowl 2023 success, A lousy Valentines season for some of Hollywoods heartbreakers, Johnny Depp attorney Camille Vasquez getting cold shoulder from fellow NBC staffers: report, Devastated Johnny Depp at Jeff Becks bedside before his death: report, has shown how vast his base of supporters and fans is. Hit job the disorders as `` belligerent and abusive. `` lawyer, Chew... Right in your inbox he question is, was he abusive with Amber in! 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