Former “Pirates of the Caribbean” star Johnny Depp and “Aquaman” actor Amber Heard are again in court docket to resolve whether or not Heard libeled her ex-husband in 2018 by writing an op-ed that he believes falsely portrayed him as a home abuser.
And Heard has filed a countersuit towards Depp that accuses his attorneys of defaming her.
The brand new trial, which is anticipated to final greater than a month, is the newest authorized battle between the well-known exes, who each made appearances in court docket this week.
Jury choice within the case started in Fairfax County Circuit Court docket in Virginia on Monday. A civil jury of seven members and 4 alternates was chosen to listen to the case throughout a trial presided over by Decide Penney S. Azcarate, in line with the Related Press. Opening statements had been made Tuesday.
Right here’s what that you must know to compensate for the case.
Who're the important thing gamers?
Depp, 58, and Heard, 35, started relationship in 2012 after assembly throughout the filming of 2011’s “The Rum Diary,” based mostly on the Hunter S. Thompson novel of the identical title. That very same 12 months, Depp separated from Vanessa Paradis, his girlfriend of 14 years, with whom the Academy Award nominee has two youngsters.
The worldwide famous person married Heard in February 2015, however the marriage lasted lower than two years.
She filed for divorce in Could 2016 citing irreconcilable variations. That’s additionally in regards to the time she first publicly accused Depp of home violence — allegations that Depp denied. She additionally introduced a photograph of herself with a bruised face to court docket, which acquired a decide to order that Depp avoid her.
“Our relationship was intensely passionate and at occasions unstable, however at all times sure by love,” the actors mentioned in a joint assertion launched after Heard dismissed her restraining-order petition. “Neither occasion has made false accusations for monetary acquire. There was by no means any intent of bodily or emotional hurt.”
They introduced a divorce settlement in August 2016 and by January 2017, a decide finalized the acrimonious break up. Nonetheless, they continued to publicly bicker about their tumultuous relationship, together with Heard’s determination to donate her $7-million settlement to the American Civil Liberties Union, a company for which she is an envoy on ladies’s rights.
Wasn’t there a earlier lawsuit?
Sure, in Britain, however it wasn’t instantly towards Heard.
In November 2020, a excessive court docket within the U.Ok. rejected Depp’s libel lawsuit towards the writer of the British tabloid the Solar, which known as him a “spouse beater” in an article.
The three-week trial included testimony from Depp and Heard, who offered scandalous conflicting testimony about their turbulent years collectively — together with admissions of heavy drug use by Depp and allegations of violence on each side.
In March 2021, Depp’s try to enchantment the decision was rejected. After his U.Ok. case was dismissed, the Hollywood Vampires rocker was pushed out of his multi-film function in Warner Bros.’ “Implausible Beasts 3" and resigned on the studio’s request.
What did Heard write within the op-ed on the heart of the present case?
In December 2018 — following the #MeToo motion and amid the contentious affirmation hearings for Supreme Court docket Justice Brett Kavanaugh — Heard wrote an op-ed within the Washington Put up titled: “I spoke up towards sexual violence — and confronted our tradition’s wrath. That has to vary.”
Although she didn’t title Depp in her piece, the “Justice League” actor mentioned that in 2016 she “turned a public determine representing home abuse.” She mirrored on her personal experiences with abuse — starting at a younger age — and advocated for Congress to “reauthorize and strengthen” the Violence In opposition to Girls Act “to bolster and construct establishments protecting of ladies.”
“I felt the total pressure of our tradition’s wrath for girls who converse out,” she wrote. “Pals and advisers instructed me I'd by no means once more work as an actress — that I'd be blacklisted. A film I used to be hooked up to recast my function. I had simply shot a two-year marketing campaign because the face of a world trend model, and the corporate dropped me. Questions arose as as to if I'd be capable of hold my function of Mera within the motion pictures ‘Justice League’ and ‘Aquaman.’
“I had the uncommon vantage level of seeing, in actual time, how establishments defend males accused of abuse,” she wrote.
Heard alleged that she needed to change her cellphone quantity weekly due to loss of life threats, hardly ever left her residence for months and was pursued by digicam drones and photographers.
What’s this newest lawsuit about?
Not lengthy after the op-ed was revealed, Depp introduced a $50-million defamation lawsuit towards Heard in March 2019 over the article.
The U.S. criticism, filed within the Circuit Court docket of Fairfax, mentioned that, whereas Depp was not named within the Put up article, it was clear that Heard and different media shops reporting on the piece had been speaking about him. The lawsuit known as her ongoing allegations of home abuse “categorically and demonstrably false,” and mentioned that Depp by no means abused Heard.
“Her allegations towards him had been false after they had been made in 2016. They had been a part of an elaborate hoax to generate optimistic publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her profession,” the lawsuit mentioned. It additionally alleged that “she is the perpetrator” and famous that she had been beforehand arrested on suspicion of violently abusing her former home associate.
The swimsuit mentioned Depp’s popularity and profession had been devastated when Heard first accused him of abuse in 2016 and that the op-ed led to him struggling a brand new spherical of monetary losses and “public scorn,” together with being dropped from his iconic function as Capt. Jack Sparrow in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
Heard responded to Depp’s lawsuit with a $100-million counterclaim of her personal, which alleged the “Edward Scissorhands” star coordinated a marketing campaign geared toward smearing her.
Her attorneys additionally argued that Heard’s op-ed addressed issues of public concern (similar to laws), whereas Depp’s statements about her didn't and shouldn't be protected below the First Modification.
Who else is concerned?
Each Depp and Heard are anticipated to take the stand once more throughout this trial, and subpoenas have been served to a number of people, together with divorce lawyer Laura Wasser; Depp’s publicist, Robin Baum; Heard’s expertise agent, Jessica Kovacevic; and Heard’s ex-girlfriend Tasya van Ree.
Actors Paul Bettany and Ellen Barkin, SpaceX boss Elon Musk and actor James Franco, who Depp has accused of getting an affair with Heard, are additionally on the witness lists.
Some will seem in particular person, whereas others will seem by way of video providers.
Why is it happening in Virginia?
The case was initially filed in Virginia, and Heard’s attorneys have tried to maneuver it to California — the place they stay and the place anti-SLAPP provisions (strategic lawsuit towards public participation) are stronger.
However the Virginia decide dominated that Depp is inside his rights to convey the case in Virginia as a result of the Washington Put up’s on-line editions are revealed by way of servers situated in Fairfax County.
Depp’s attorneys have additionally mentioned they filed the lawsuit there partly as a result of the legal guidelines are extra favorable to their case. Final month, Depp’s lawyer, Benjamin Chew, sought to bar Heard’s attorneys from claiming immunity and argued that anti-SLAPP guidelines will not be designed to intrude with non-public disputes, similar to Depp’s competition that his ex-wife defamed him, the Related Press reported.
Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, argued that her shopper’s Put up article didn’t point out Depp by title and that it addressed a problem of public concern: stopping home violence.
Decide Azcarate dominated towards Depp, however that doesn’t imply Heard has immunity for what she wrote. Her authorized crew could make that argument to a jury as a part of her protection.
Instances employees author Christie D’Zurilla and the Related Press contributed to this report.
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