'Amber Alert' goes off during Heard vs. Depp trial closing arguments

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By stefan armitage

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An "amber alert" was heard blaring in the courtroom amid the closing arguments of the Amber Heard vs. Johnny Depp defamation trial.

Amber Heard, 36, is being sued by ex-husband Johnny Depp for $50 million after she referred to herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse" in a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post.

The piece was titled: "I spoke up against sexual violence—and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change."

Despite not being mentioned by name in the op-ed, the 58-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star has repeatedly denied the allegations that he was physically violent toward his ex-wife. His lawyers claimed it resulted in Depp losing work.

Heard is countersuing for $100 million - claiming she was only ever violent against Depp in self-defense or defense of her younger sister, per NBC News, and for comments made by Adam Waldman, Depp's former lawyer.

Attorneys for both sides delivered their closing arguments on Friday, as the high-profile trial comes to an end.

However, as Heard's lawyer, Ben Rottenborn, summarized the Aquaman star's case, he was suddenly interrupted by a blaring alarm.

As people in the courtroom started to look around for an explanation, Rottenborn was forced to pause.

Judge Penney Azcarate then said: "There appears to be an Amber Alert, but I think we're okay. People are getting it on their phones that haven't silenced them."

Per People, the alarm was a notification regarding a storm in the surrounding area.

Rottenborn was able to continue his closing argument shortly after.

During his closing argument, Rottenborn told the jury: "[Heard] would have to be the dumbest person in the world to say, 'Hey, I'm going to commit an abuse hoax. But let's do it the day before I go on national television'". The lawyer was referring to Heard making an 2015 appearance on James Corden's The Late Late Show and having to use makeup to cover her alleged injuries.

Rottenborn also told the jury that Heard was the victim of a "smear campaign" due to her making the decision to leave Depp.

"In Mr. Depp's world, you don't leave Mr. Depp," Rottenborn said. "And if you do, he will start a campaign of global humiliation against you. A smear campaign that lasts until this very day."

Jury deliberation is now underway.

Featured image credit: REUTERS / Alamy