Amber Heard rests case in $50 million defamation trial against Johnny Depp

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By stefan armitage

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Amber Heard's legal team has today started resting their case.

The Aquaman star is currently 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, with the lawyers claiming it was about Depp and it resulted in him 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.

On Tuesday, 36-year-old Heard's legal team has "rested its case", per Executive Producer & Correspondent for Law and Crime Daily Sierra Gillespie.

One of Depp's attorneys, Ben Chew, requested on Tuesday that Judge Penney Azcarate strike Heard's counterclaim against Depp.

Chew argued that Waldman's 2020 comments - in which he stated that Heard's claims of abuse were a "hoax" - could not be held against Depp.

"There is no evidence Mr. Waldman knew the statements to be false," Chew told Judge Penny Azcarate. "There is no evidence of any communication of information between Mr. Depp and Mr. Waldman regarding the counterclaim statements."

Per The Independent, entertainment industry expert Kathryn Arnold told the court earlier this month that Heard lost out on up to $50 million as a result of Waldman's comments, as the actress was "on the precipice of a meteoric rise".

As the trial enters its sixth and final week, Heard's team will not be calling Depp as a witness in the Fairfax, Virginia courtroom.

Per Newsweek, British supermodel Kate Moss is also expected to testify on behalf of Depp as a rebuttal witness. Moss will reportedly take to the stand on Wednesday.

Depp dated Moss from 1994 to 1997.

Closing arguments in the trial are expected to be made on Friday, May 27.

Featured image credit: Credit: DPA picture alliance / Alamy

Amber Heard rests case in $50 million defamation trial against Johnny Depp

vt-author-image

By stefan armitage

Article saved!Article saved!

Amber Heard's legal team has today started resting their case.

The Aquaman star is currently 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, with the lawyers claiming it was about Depp and it resulted in him 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.

On Tuesday, 36-year-old Heard's legal team has "rested its case", per Executive Producer & Correspondent for Law and Crime Daily Sierra Gillespie.

One of Depp's attorneys, Ben Chew, requested on Tuesday that Judge Penney Azcarate strike Heard's counterclaim against Depp.

Chew argued that Waldman's 2020 comments - in which he stated that Heard's claims of abuse were a "hoax" - could not be held against Depp.

"There is no evidence Mr. Waldman knew the statements to be false," Chew told Judge Penny Azcarate. "There is no evidence of any communication of information between Mr. Depp and Mr. Waldman regarding the counterclaim statements."

Per The Independent, entertainment industry expert Kathryn Arnold told the court earlier this month that Heard lost out on up to $50 million as a result of Waldman's comments, as the actress was "on the precipice of a meteoric rise".

As the trial enters its sixth and final week, Heard's team will not be calling Depp as a witness in the Fairfax, Virginia courtroom.

Per Newsweek, British supermodel Kate Moss is also expected to testify on behalf of Depp as a rebuttal witness. Moss will reportedly take to the stand on Wednesday.

Depp dated Moss from 1994 to 1997.

Closing arguments in the trial are expected to be made on Friday, May 27.

Featured image credit: Credit: DPA picture alliance / Alamy