"They're on his payroll": Amber Heard's lawyer Benjamin Rottenborn slams Johnny Depp's witnesses during closing arguments

Following the closing statements from Johnny Depp's attorneys, Amber Heard's lawyer Benjamin Rottenborn addressed the jury before their verdict on the actor's $50 million defamation lawsuit. In his closing argument, Rottenborn told the jury that the actress would win the case even if Heard was abused just once. He also implied that Depp's witnesses might be getting paid:

"The witnesses that Mr. Depp has paraded up here ... they're on his payroll. Almost all of them."

After the 15-minute morning break, Rottenborn asked the jury to focus on the kind of message that Depp's legal team is pushing for victims of domestic violence. Adding to his previous statement, Rottenborn told the jury that they would be an accomplice to Depp's alleged domestic abuse if the verdict was in his favor.

The jury will have to decide if the evidence submitted by Depp's legal team, along with the arguments presented by the lawyers and the witness testimonies, has proven that Heard's op-ed was about the actor. The verdict will also center on whether Heard's article from 2018 can be considered defamatory in nature, that is Heard wrote it intentionally to malign Depp's career. They will have to decide if the claims made by the actress are indeed false.

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What did Amber Heard's lawyer Benjamin Rottenborn say about Johnny Depp and his legal team?

In his response to Johnny Depp's attorney's closing arguments, Benjamin Rottenborn addressed the jury, recapping several incidents that took place between the former couple. He brought up the 2015 incidents in Australia and in Depp's Eastern Columbia Building penthouse.

Rottenborn referred to the objectionable message being portrayed by the opposing legal team and pointed out how:

"If you didn't take pictures, it didn't happen. If you did take pictures, they're fake. If you didn't tell your friends, you're lying. If you did tell your friends, they're part of the hoax. If you didn't seek medical treatment, you weren't injured. If you did seek medical treatment, you're crazy. If you do everything that you can to help your spouse, the person you love, rid himself of the crushing drug and alcohol abuse that spins him into (a) rage filled monster you're a nag."

During the closing argument, Benjamin Rottenborn alleged that Johnny Depp had somehow paid the witnesses he brought in to speak against Amber Heard. The lawyer said:

"The witnesses that Mr. Depp has paraded up here ... they're on his payroll. Almost all of them. They're telling you whatever they need to tell you to get on his side. Just as we told you in the opening."

Rottenborn also pointed out the texts sent by Depp to Elton John, Dr. David Kipper, and specifically Paul Bettany to whom the 58-year-old actor sent a text revealing that he wanted to 'burn' Amber Heard. He said:

"These words are a window into the heart and mind of America's favorite pirate. This is the real Johnny Depp."

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Netizens react to Amber Heard's lawyer Benjamin Rottenborn's allegations against Johnny Depp's witnesses

As mentioned before, Rottenborn implied that the witnesses presented by Depp and his legal team were on the actor's 'payroll.' Numerous supporters of Depp tore into Rottenborn's allegations and his addressal to the jurors, while others joked about how the lawyer exaggerated the incidents between Depp and Heard.

A few tweets also referred to the ironic incident during Rottenborn's closing arguments for Amber Heard, which was disrupted by Amber alerts on the phones of some people present at the trial. Amber Heard supporters voiced support for the lawyer and showed him encouragement.