Amber Heard Accuses Johnny Depp Of Sexual Abuse, Says He 'Penetrated' Her With A Liquor Bottle
In Depp's opening statement, his lawyer, Camille Vasquez, claimed that Heard made these "false allegations" to boost her career in light of the #MeToo movement.
(Trigger Warning: The story contains graphic details of domestic abuse and sexual violence, which could be triggering for some readers.)
Following the bitter divorce in 2016, the recent opening statements in Hollywood actor Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation lawsuits have just turned more 'outrageous'.
After filing for divorce, Heard filed a domestic violence restraining order against Depp and brought photographic evidence of the alleged abuse she suffered, as per US magazine.
Depp had sued Heard over a 2018 op-ed she wrote about surviving domestic violence, though she never mentioned him by name in the article.
According to People magazine, during the libel trial, which is expected to last about six weeks, inside the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia, Heard's lawyers accused her ex-husband, Depp, of sexual assault as the actor set out to prove defamation charges against her.
Heard's attorney Ben Rottenborn said evidence would show that she suffered domestic abuse by Depp that "took many forms," including physical, emotional, verbal, and psychological.
It was not necessary to sue Amber Heard for the second time if Johnny Depp is already dozing at the end of the 2nd day of the trial out of the 25 that still remain ??#IStandWithAmberHeard pic.twitter.com/JqARlB0ywr
¡ª Cora Melodie (@CoraMelodie) April 13, 2022
Amber Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft claimed that Johnny Depp sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle.
"Some pretty horrendous things happened to [Heard]... he rips off her nightgown, he has her jammed up against a bar... he penetrates her with a liquor bottle," Bredehoft said.
Rottenborn, while discussing the headline used for the online version of Heard's op-ed, explained that she did not write that headline herself or get to approve it.
The headline read,
"Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence -- and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change."
However, the attorney claimed Heard has indeed been the victim of sexual violence by Depp.
The attorney then listed a time when Depp allegedly had a three-day, alcohol-fueled blackout in Australia in 2015 toward the end of their marriage, when he "abused and sexually assaulted Amber, all because she had the courage to confront him about his drinking."
Addressing this new allegation, Depp's spokesperson said,
"These fictitious claims were never made at the onset of Amber's allegations in 2016, and only advantageously surfaced years later once she was sued for defamation after noting in her op-ed that she was a victim of 'sexual violence.'"
Amber Heard is so obsessed with Johnny Depp that she deadass wore a bee pin like Johnny did the first day of trial. She¡¯s a complete psychopath #JusticeForJohnnyDepp pic.twitter.com/fjDDJLi6xt
¡ª Marta ???? (@DlORDEPP) April 13, 2022
"Words are key in a defamation case, and conveniently, this allegation only came after that. This follows a pattern of her elaborate, erroneous claims which have continued to change and evolve for Hollywood shock value which Amber has mastered and used to exploit a serious social movement," they added.
In Depp's opening statement, his lawyer, Camille Vasquez, claimed that Heard made these "false allegations" to boost her career in light of the #MeToo movement.
He stated that Heard added sexual assault to a list of allegations because she "panicked" when she realized the "seriousness of what she'd alleged" and couldn't back down from her notoriety as a survivor.
Vasquez added that Heard's lawyers would be sharing "explosive" stories "designed" to "distract" from "common sense."
On Wednesday, Depp's longtime friend and neighbor Isaac Baruch took the stand in the actor's defamation trial.
Isaac Baruch: "I am tired.
¡ª Sienna (@winonasrider) April 13, 2022
So many people have been affected by this malicious lie that Amber started and created and it's got out the door and around the world. And Johnny and his family have been completely wrapped by this stuff, it's not fair, what she did, it's not right."? pic.twitter.com/rZKmIUGedG
In October 2016, text messages between Depp and Baruch were revealed during cross-examination by Heard's lawyer Elaine Bredehoft. One of the messages included a text where Depp referred to Heard's "rotting corpse."
NEW: More evidence of Johnny Depp's murder fantasies, like the Paul Bettany texts weren't enough. "I hope Amber's rotting corpse is decomposing in the trunk of a honda civic". The court audience gasped, his lawyer giggled.... #IStandWithAmberHeard #JohnnyDeppIsaWifebeater pic.twitter.com/wzXQYCgNJW
¡ª CARMEN (@Ego_death18) April 13, 2022
In the text, Depp said he hoped Heard's "rotting corpse is decomposing in the f-----g trunk of a Honda Civic." Baruch corroborated the message that was sent: "Yeah, it was written."
Depp also texted about Heard: "That c--- ruined such a f-----g cool life we had for a while."
The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star and 'Aquaman' actor were married in February 2015 and confirmed their split in May 2016.
Depp originally filed the USD 50 million lawsuit in March 2019, but it was postponed due to the pandemic.
OMG This opening is ??? THEIR MARRIAGE COUNSLER FOUND AMBER HEARD THE AGRESSOR & they're cutting to her reaction!! So glad I can watch it in private w/out commentary... So I can truly listen & prepare my thoughts!! Join us LIVE After the Trial @ 5PM EST #JusticeForJohnnyDepp pic.twitter.com/wuAF9bYuzd
¡ª Andy Signore (@andysignore) April 12, 2022
In November 2020, Depp lost his highly publicized U.K. libel lawsuit against British tabloid The Sun for calling him a "wife-beater."
The court upheld the outlet's claims as being "substantially true," Heard testified to back up the claims. In March 2021, his attempt to overturn the decision was overruled.
(With ANI inputs)
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