Johnny Depp’s libel claim against The Sun has been a nail-biting case all along. However, it is expected to end on Tuesday but the judge is not expected to deliver his ruling for several weeks.
Lawyers of The Sun, Sasha Wass QC, still claims that Depp was the one violent with Amber Heard. She said he committed acts of violence fueled by misogyny and unleashed by addiction to alcohol and drugs.
Depp sued The Sun’s publishers and executive editor for posting an article deeming him as a ‘wife-beater’. However, both Depp and Heard’s reputation seem to be at stake.
During closing arguments, Wass claimed that the article was right in naming Depp as being abusive with his wife. She said there were many evidences of those said acts of violence in the three-year-period that the couple were together.
Wass says that Depp was a ‘hopeless’ addict who kept losing his self-control. She added: “Permeating all of the evidence, in this case, is the character of Mr. Depp himself — his well-documented evidence of violence and destruction over his adult life which have occurred when he was under the influence of drink and drugs.”
Wass further said Depp has irrational mood swings and abnormal behavioral patterns because of the intake of drugs. She also mentions Depp has a name for this metamorphosed entity — namely, The Monster.
The case has been going on for about three weeks. First week, evidence and testimony was provided by Depp following witnesses backing his claims. Heard also testified and had fewer witnesses to back her claims.
The Sun’s Lawyers Make Closing Arguments
Depp was not present in the court on Monday but his lawyer is expected to present his closing argument on Tuesday. This was called as a ‘blockbuster’ case, as people heard the actual truth behind all the allegations over the years.
Heard has made 14 allegations against Depp which is supported by The Sun claiming he was the violent one in the relationship. However, Depp’s evidence and testimony from his witnesses have proved otherwise. The 14 allegations were held in the settings including his private island in the Bahamas, a rented house in Australia. Depp’s finger was severed in contested circumstances there. And the couple’s downtown Los Angeles penthouse, which was trashed during the couple’s altercations.
Wass claimed that the first year of the couple’s marriage was ‘idyllic’, however, she says the violence started when he relapsed in 2013. Last week, Heard gave evidence claiming Depp was jealous of everybody she worked with. She said Depp had an alter ego called the ‘monster’ when he turns violent and comes under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The actress accused him of hitting her multiple times and throwing bottles at her ‘like grenades’. However, she also admitted to hitting Depp and claims to have done that to save her life. She revealed she feared Depp might kill her. Heard’s evidence was backed up by a few people including her sister, Whitney Henriquez. She was an important part of the case as she was the only one who actually witnessed Depp’s alleged attack.
What Will be the Judge’s Verdict?
Depp gave evidence for five days claiming Heard was the one who abused him and not the other way around. He denied all allegations made by Heard .His claims were backed up by several of his former and current employees admitting to have witnessed Heard being violent to Depp. The list of witnesses also included former romantic partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder. They claimed in a written statement that Heard was never violent and they only know him to be kind.
Depp admitted to the intake of drugs and alcohol but denies having ever hurt Heard under the influence or otherwise. His employees also claim he undertook it but assured that he never lost control.
Summarizing the defense case, Wass said that “a deep misogyny … lay at the root of Mr. Depp’s anger”. She added: “He created a misogynistic persona of (Heard) as the stereotype of a nagging woman.” Wass also said Depp branded Heard “a gold-digger, a shrew and an adulterer” in order to discredit her.
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