Johnny Depp Trial LIVE Today: As Deadline exclusively learned on Monday, Johnny Depp is testifying on his own behalf this week in his high-profile $50 million lawsuit against ex-girlfriend Amber Heard. The proceedings are being held in the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia.
Deadline’s Dominic Patten and Ted Johnson, who are covering the trial, were the first to report on Depp’s testimony. Here’s where you can get all of their exclusive content.
The ex-Pirates of the Caribbean star returns to the stand Thursday after taking the oath and the stand for the first time on Tuesday. He did so before the seven-person jury, Heard, a platoon of lawyers, the cameras and Judge Penney S. Azcarate. He is facing cross-examination from Heard’s lawyers.
Johnny Depp Trial LIVE Today: Depp Cross-Examined By Heard’s Lawyer Thursday
Below is a link to the Livestream from the courtroom provided by CourtTV. The outlet was picked by local officials to provide the footage, which is also being run by other outlets.
The trial, which is underway, runs Monday through Thursdays, with Fridays off. It is set to run for five weeks. However, there will be a pause from May 9-12 as Judge Azcarate attends to a previously scheduled conference engagement.
On Wednesday, Depp described in graphic detail his drug addiction and the March 2015 argument with then-wife Amber Heard that led to the severing of his middle finger.
In his early testimony, Depp said he was fighting back against Heard’s accusations, in part, for his children’s sake.
Heard is scheduled to take the stand herself later in the proceedings.
Along with Depp and Heard, A-listers like James Franco, WandaVision’s Paul Bettany and the world’s on-again/off-again richest man Elon Musk are set to testify in the Old Dominion-set trial.
Johnny Depp Gets Tangled Up In Abuse Claim Timelines, Disney’s ‘Pirates’ Intentions & More Under Cross Exam In $50M Defamation Trial – Update
3RD UPDATE, 2:25 PM PT: After a day and half on the stand in his $50 million defamation trial against Amber Heard, a once-confident Johnny Depp on Wednesday found himself losing his footing and flashing signs of anger.
Under cross examination from Aquaman star Heard’s lawyer Ben Rottenborn in the closing minutes of today’s session, Depp became both combative and sometimes confused as the attorney zeroed in on the actor’s assertions that a late 2018 Washington Post op-ed penned by Heard destroyed his life, career and reputation.
Johnny Depp about his kids relationship with Amber “Non-existent. My kids are far more intelligent than I am. They refused to be around her.” pic.twitter.com/NuUw9qXzjF
— ReemDepp – Johnny Depp Deserves Justice (@ReemDepp) April 20, 2022
“I’m suing her over defamation and the various falsities that she used to bring my life to an end,” the often sunglasses-wearing Depp declared to the jury, lawyers and others in the Fairfax County Courthouse this afternoon. Admitting as Heard sat nearby that the opinion piece does not mention his actual name, the suddenly somewhat befuddled actor tried to re-craft a 2016 statement he signed upon the couple’s divorce.
Latest news from defamation battle with Amber Heard: Tough day ahead for Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp on his ‘lowest point’
Whilst on the stand on Wednesday, Johnny Depp described a time when he needed his medication as the withdrawal effects from him not taking any drugs began to kick in, but Amber Heard refused to give him his medication.
He admits that this was his ‘lowest point’ and also revealed that he was begging and crying.
amber heard denied johnny depp his meds as he was going into withdrawal during his detox. he was begging and crying for her to give it to him but she wouldn’t. “that was about the lowest point in my life i’ve ever felt as a human being” #justiceforjohnnydepp pic.twitter.com/EWVxfyVuvN
— b ✧⡱ (@j0hnnycdpp) April 20, 2022
Audio recording of Amber Heard taunting Johnny Depp
The court on Wednesday was able to hear an audio recording in which Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are heard having a talk about their arguments.
Then, in the clip, Heard can be heard admitting to throwing objects at Depp and “hitting” him.
Johnny Depp on Amber Heard’s violent behaviour
During Wednesday’s session of the trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, the 58-year-old detailed the way in which his ex-wife would be violent towards him.
This was best characterised by Depp‘s claim that “she has a need for conflict. She has a need for violence.”
This Thursday, April 21, will see the seventh day of the trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard take place in Fairfax, Virginia. The reason for the trial is that Depp is suing Heard for 50 million dollars after she wrote a domestic abuse column in the Washington Post in 2018, which he claims is incorrect and has had knock-on effects in terms of his acting career. Heard, meanwhile, has stood by her claims and countersued Depp for 100 million dollars.
The last two days have seen Depp take to the stand and discuss several moments from his relationship with Heard, as well as anecdotes from his life. Today will see Depp back on the stand for a third straight day, as the cross-examination goes up a notch after starting late in the day on Wednesday.
During yesterday’s session, Depp made the case that it was Heard who was the aggressor and not him, and he explained that his ex-wife mirrored the abuse his mother showed towards him.
The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star also discussed the infamous incident in Australia that saw him have his finger sliced open, human faeces – which he claims to be from Heard or a friend of Heard – being found on his side of the bed.
In addition, the court was able to hear an audio recording in which Heard told Depp “you didn’t get punched” and stated that “I was hitting you” during one argument between the former couple.
As has been the case for the last few days, the trial will resume at 10am local time, which is 3pm in England and 4pm in central Europe.
It is expected that many of the claims Amber Heard has made about Johnny Depp will be put to him when the trial resumes shortly.
Depp made a point yesterday of stating that he just wants to tell the truth, so this could be a decisive day in the trial.