While the world has been watching as Amber Heard and Johnny Depp face each other in court, it looks like Aquaman’s Mera might soon be facing other legal battles.
A report from the North Queensland Register published Tuesday discussed a potential new development in a 2015 case in which Heard brought her two dogs — Boo and Pistol — into Australia via private jet, allegedly skirting the country’s biosecurity laws and causing a bit of an international brouhaha.
According to that article, “The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is investigating allegations of perjury by Ms. Heard during court proceedings for the 2015 illegal importation of (her) two dogs into Australia. The department is seeking to obtain witness statements and, when obtained, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will consider whether the evidence is sufficient to warrant pursuance of the matter.”
The report also noted, “As the matter is ongoing, the department cannot make any further comment.”
The matter appeared to resolve in 2016, when as the Register recalled, “Eventually, in 2016, the two Hollywood stars appeared before the Southport Magistrates Court on the Gold Coast where Ms. Heard pleaded guilty to charges related to the biosecurity breaches. The actress was placed on a one-month, $1000 good behavior bond for making a false declaration on her Incoming Passenger Card, in declaring she wasn’t traveling with any live animals.”
Heard and Depp also filmed this 40-second video clip expressing their remorse for their actions.
The Daily Mail, in its reporting on the case, “Aussie authorities are revisiting the smuggling spat as a perjury investigation after fresh details dredged up at last year’s UK libel trial between Heard’s ex, Johnny Depp, and The Sun newspaper, called her explanation into question.”
The Mail added ominously that the potential perjury case, stemming from what it termed “an FBI-backed probe into claims she lied to Australian officials after smuggling her dogs,” could deliver Heard “a maximum jail term of 14 years with the possibility of a maximum of 7 years for subornation of perjury — the act of convincing someone to provide false testimony.”
The government is hoping to hear from Kevin Murphy, the estate manager for Johnny Depp, who — according to the Mail’s account — noted that Heard had continued to bring her animals into the country while ignoring quarantine requirements.
“I also explained to Ms. Heard several times the fact that trying to take the dogs into Australia without completing the mandatory process was illegal and could result in very harsh penalties including euthanizing the dogs.
When I conveyed that I was totally not comfortable with this, Ms. Heard said to me, ‘Well I’ll be wanting your assistance on this… I wouldn’t want you to suffer from a problem with your current job.’
It became very apparent that Ms. Heard was threatening my job stability unless I cooperated with providing a declaration that supported her false account for the Australian proceedings. Because of this I felt extreme pressure to cooperate, despite knowing this would involve being untruthful.”
As many movies Heard has worked on are filmed in Australia — including Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom — this could interfere with both her plans and DC’s going forward, as Heard may encounter complications should she try to return to Australia.
