Johnny Depp completed his evidence in the US defamation case brought against Amber Heard by claiming to be a victim of domestic violence. The actor has been testifying in person at the trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, regarding his own violent outbursts and charges that he physically abused his previous accomplice.
He’s suing Ms. Heard for defamation for a 2018 story she wrote for The Washington Post that, according to his lawyers, wrongly alleges he physically and sexually assaulted her.
Mr. Depp has disputed all charges and stated that he is “embarrassed” by the proof presented in court, which included video of him destroying furniture in a kitchen and violent text messages exchanged with his buddy, actor Paul Bettany.
Incidents such as a vacation to Australia in March 2015, during which Mr Depp alleges severed the top of his finger and another time when he believes Ms Heard hurled a can of mineral spirits at his head, have also been investigated.
Mr. Depp is heard urging the actress to “shut up, fata*s” in other audio tapes.
On Monday, Mr. Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez questioned him, “What did you say in response when Ms Heard said, ‘inform the world Johnny, tell them I Johnny Depp, a man, am a victim of domestic violence?'” Mr Depp responded saying yes, he is.
Previously, the actor claimed that messages he sent to Mr Bettany about burning and drowning the Aquaman star were a parody of a Monty Python comedy.
The court previously heard that during a text discussion with Mr Bettany in 2013, Mr Depp wrote: “Let’s burn Amber. Let’s drown her first, then burn her.” I’ll f*** her burning body afterwards to ensure she’s dead.”
Mr. Depp, on the other hand, stated that he and Mr. Bettany had bonded by their “abstract sense of humour” in dealing with difficult conditions, and that the comments were never “meant to be genuine.” He explained that because they were private communications, there was a lot… in context.
He further stated that it’s vital to understand that nothing was ever meant to be true, and the terminology used, which he is embarrassed (of), has to be disseminated across the world like peanut butter. For example, the language about burning Ms Heard is taken verbatim from Monty Python’s comedy about burning witches and subsequently drowning the witches. According to him this is a movie as kids all enjoyed— it’s just irreverent and unique laughter.
Mr Depp went on to say that Mr Bettany’s relationship with Ms Heard was “abominable,” since she saw him as a “danger.” He explained that Ms Heard loathed Mr Bettany mostly since they had become such close friends, and for her, he was a menace who would take him away from her.
Mr. Depp has rejected all claims of ever assaulting Ms. Heard. He told the court that when he initially read the Washington Post article, he felt like he had been “struck over the head with a two-by-four (piece of wood).”
Ms Heard is also scheduled to testify throughout the trial, which is estimated to last seven weeks.
