It heats up in court between the two ex-husbands actors Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. In an audio recording at the center of the proceedings on Tuesday, she admits to having “slapped” him during an argument in March 2015 in Australia, where Johnny Depp was filming the 5th installment of the saga “Pirates of the Caribbean”, and calls him a “baby”.
In this recorded conversation, the actor claims to have had to take refuge in a bathroom in the face of his wife’s anger.
In another tense exchange on Tuesday, Amber Heard also had to battle over the sequence of events during a particularly traumatic episode of their stay in Australia, when Johnny Depp, under the influence of drugs, allegedly raped her with a bottle of alcohol.
Amber Heard claims that the actor would have cut the end of his finger by smashing a phone before attacking him, a version that the lawyer questioned given the seriousness of this injury.
The actress also admitted not having done a medical certificate or consulted a doctor after the alleged brutal attack.
“He is guilty”
Camille Vasquez also pointed to a line from Amber Heard in the couple’s shared diary: “I’m sorry I go crazy sometimes.”
In other sound recordings, Johnny Depp criticizes her for humiliating him in front of her son by yelling at him for spilling wine on her, and she calls her husband a “puppet” while laughing.
Johnny Depp accuses his ex-wife of having ruined his reputation and his career by claiming in a column published in 2018 by the Washington Post that she had suffered domestic violence two years earlier, without however mentioning his name.
He is claiming $50 million in damages. She counterattacked and asks for the double.
At the helm, the “Aquaman” actress also explained why, according to her, Johnny Depp has refused to meet her gaze since the start of the trial. “It’s because he’s guilty,” she said. “He knows he’s lying.”
The 58-year-old actor, who testified in late April, admitted heavy use of drugs and alcohol but denied ever raising a hand on Amber Heard and insisted it was her who was violent.
Violent towards another partner?
Johnny Depp’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, ended her cross-examination by referring to allegations that Heard hit his ex-girlfriend Tasya van Ree in 2009. “Johnny Depp is not the only partner you have assaulted,” she told the tearful star. Camille Vasquez was referring to a 2009 arrest of Amber Heard. Two officers allegedly saw Heard punch van Ree in the arm and rip off her necklace. Amber Heard was arrested following these facts, but the charges against her were quickly dropped.
Amber Heard then denounced a “smear campaign” by Johnny Depp’s lawyers when Camille Vasquez mentioned these facts.
A very toxic relationship
The actress explained on Monday that she had decided to divorce in May 2016 because she feared for her life, after yet another argument during which the actor allegedly threw a phone in her face.
The first four weeks of the trial drew a “very toxic relationship” within the couple, against a backdrop of drug and alcohol consumption by Johnny Depp, and revealed very raw details.
The two actors had started an affair in October 2011 before getting married in February 2015. The divorce was pronounced in early 2017.
Deliberations are due to continue until May 27, after which the seven jurors will retire to deliberate.
Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife in the United States two years after losing a first defamation lawsuit in London against the British tabloid The Sun, who called him an “abusive husband”.