Johnny Depp Faces the Third Day of Questioning in Libel Claim

Johnny Depp arrived at the High Court for the third day of questioning. He is interrogated about his ex-wife Amber Heard as his libel claim against The Sun continues.

Johnny sued The Sun newspaper for an article posted calling him a ‘wife-beater’. The tabloid’s publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor Dan Wootton, are both being sued. In the article, they also mentioned that there was “overwhelming evidence” that he attacked his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Johnny Depp has denied claims of abusing Amber strenuously.

David Sherborne, Depp’s barrister, said that the article made defamatory allegations of the utmost seriousness” against Depp. In the article, Depp is being accused of committing serious assaults on Heard. It also claims that the injuries were so serious that she feared for her life. Sherborne said: “The articles amount to a full-scale attack on the claimant as a ‘wife beater’, guilty of the most horrendous physical abuse.”

The actor stood on the witness box again to provide evidence. On being cross-examined by NGN’s lead counsel Sasha Wass QC, Depp appeared often adding humor to his answers. She interrogated him about wide-ranging series of topics. 

Depp apologized on day two for giving misleading evidence after he was shown a text message. In the message, he mentioned he drank all night, took powders and pills before drinking two bottles of champagne. Depp corrected that he had alcohol before and on the flight in a witness statement.

He denied the allegations of kicking her in the back or screaming obscenities as he was accusing her of having an affair with James Franco.

Depp was shown a text exchange between him and fellow actor Paul Bettany. The message read that he is properly going to stop the booze. In the text exchange, he claimed to be drinking all night and consuming powders before picking up Amber and saying he had no food for days. “A thousand Red Bull and vodkas, pills, 2 bottles of champers on the plane, and what do you get?” one of his texts read.

Depp explained that the powders referred to cocaine and another reference about “angry aggro injun” was about a “native American”. When questioned about the consumption of champagne, Depp said he made a mistake about the intake on the plane.

Depp clarifies that in every argument, two people are involved. Sasha questioned him about the text exchanges between him and Mr. Heard. The text read that he messed up and went too far. Depp admits to remembering to have sent the text to Mr. Heard. He explains that in the text he is expressing that he is sorry for his part in the argument. Depp says he used to text Mr. and Mrs. Heard several times, but none of those times has he ever said that he hits Amber.

Depp tells the court that Amber wanted to build her team of followers who were scared of her. He claims she craved attention and she would make her friends hate Depp by stretching things out.

Sasha reveals to the court the text exchange between Heard and her friend in which Heard asks for help saying Johnny beat her up. Depp claimed that it was all a part of Heard’s ‘hoax’.

Sasha further continues to provide evidence in the form of audio which is difficult to hear and asks Depp if he broke Amber’s nose. Depp denied the claims saying he heard of it very recently. Sasha reveals the medical notes of Amber and questions Depp asking him why will she lie. Depp said, “I would say very simply that Ms. Heard can never be wrong and she is not going to admit… to anyone… she is not going to reveal the truth.”

Sasha puts a picture of Amber with a black eye and accuses him saying he did that. But Depp denies her claims. She also claimed that Depp threatened Heard by saying he will kill her. Depp denies hurting Amber or threatening to kill her.

In another discussion about their fight, Depp said Heard was out of control and looking for a fight. At one point Sasha says Heard accused him of cheating because of which they fought. The court noticed an alleged pattern of jealousy in Depp.

Depp agreed to not feeling good about James and Heard working together. Although he said the jealousy ignited because Heard called him “creepy and rapey”. Depp claims that Heard said he was aggressive in his approach towards her. He further told the court, “She told me many things that were very, very negative about Mr. Franco, and that he had tried to kiss her and made sexual advances towards her”. Depp claims this ignited his jealousy because Heard was suddenly friendly and happy with him.

Heard denied describing Franco in that way and Franco also responded saying it is untrue. The trial will go on for three weeks, and Heard will ultimately take the stand. The court will hear from witnesses on Depp’s behalf including his ex-girlfriends Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder.

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