Amber Heard told jurors she just wants ex-husband Johnny Depp to “leave me alone” amid a wave of what she describes as an alleged campaign of harassment that has included multiple death threats from his supporters.
This all occurred during a trial of dueling defamation lawsuits between the celebrities on the concluding day of arguments and one day ahead of when each side will present their closing arguments.
“The harassment and the humiliation, the campaign against me that’s echoed every single day on social media, and now in front of cameras in the showroom — every single day I have to relive the trauma,” Heard said while appearing to hold back tears. “Perhaps it’s easy to forget I’m a human being.”
The courtroom drama that has stretched on for six weeks has captured the attention of millions of people thanks to cameras broadcasting the litigation, all while decidedly horrific details of their relationship have surfaced — from a soiled bed to a severed fingertip. Though each side is accusing the other of abuse, with much of the arguments hinging on one person’s word against the other, there’s no question the overall portrait is one of a relationship that went on the rocks.
However, both online and at the courthouse itself, Depp’s fans have overwhelmed the narrative, dominating many aspects of the discourse. That has included groupies lining up overnight at the Fairfax, Virginia, courthouse to secure a coveted spot in the gallery in the courtroom or wave at the Pirates of the Caribbean star as he is walking in and out of the building, with many spectators taking to booing Heard as she walks into and exits the courthouse each day, Associated Press reported.
Heard said she now “can’t have a career” due to the public drama and has received “thousands” of death threats daily since the trial started.
Some of the threats have included people saying they want to put Heard’s baby in a microwave, she said.
Depp’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, questioned Heard on cross-examination, saying her “lies have been exposed to the world.” She brought up a number of people who contradicted portions of Heard’s account.
“I know how many people will come out of the woodwork to be in support of Johnny,” was Heard’s reply.
At one point, an exchange between Vasquez and Heard got tense when they were discussing a photograph of spilled wine.
Vasquez also asserted an image that was allegedly taken the day after a photograph of Heard having a bruise leaving a courthouse didn’t appear to show a bruise. However, Heard said she was wearing makeup in the photo where a bruise could not be seen.
At one point, Vasquez questioned whether Moss had to “come out of the woodwork” to testify in defense of Depp.
Earlier in the trial, Heard alluded to an unsubstantiated rumor that Depp pushed Moss down some stairs in the 1990s. Moss later testified that Depp never pushed her down any stairs for the entire time they were together.
“I had heard that rumor from multiple people. Of course that’s what flashed through my head when my violent husband not only swung for me but also swung for my sister. Of course I thought of that. I did not expect her to show up or not expect her to show up, it didn’t matter. It doesn’t change what I believed at the time when we were on the stairs and I thought he was going to kill my sister by pushing her down the stairs.”
Vasquez also questioned Heard about the fact that Heard alleged Depp trashed a trailer at one point, but a manager for the trailer park in question later disputed that claim, saying there was only minor damage to a light fixture.
Heard also denied an allegation that she tipped off TMZ as to what side of her face they should photograph with the alleged bruise as she was leaving a courthouse. Heard also denied she edited down a video of Depp yelling at Heard and slamming cabinets that was later leaked to the tabloid website.
On redirect, Heard said Depp “promised global humiliation” and reasserted her accusation that he tried to get her fired from Aquaman.
She also reiterated all of her abuse accusations against Depp, including that he allegedly physically, verbally, emotionally, and psychologically abused her.
The court battle centers on an op-ed Heard wrote for the Washington Post in 2018, in which she describes herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Though Depp isn’t named in the article, Heard made prior allegations of abuse against Depp in 2016, which he claims are false and are referenced in the piece.
Depp is suing Heard for $50 million for defamation for allegedly false domestic abuse accusations she made against him that he said hurt his career. Heard is counter-suing Depp, also for defamation, for $100 million.
While Heard maintains she was abused by Depp, Depp claims just the opposite: he was abused by her and not the other way around.
Arguments for both sides of the case officially rested Thursday, with closing statements to commence on Friday.
