What is the Johnny Depp issue? Entire lawsuit explained as verdict date comes closer

Actor Johnny Depp's defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard has reached its conclusion. Their relationship began over a decade ago and appears to have devolved into a toxic marriage.

The pair divorced in 2016, but have been fighting in court over an op-ed Heard penned for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she talked about surviving domestic violence without mentioning Johnny Depp by name.

Johnny Depp is suing for $50 million in damages and claims he was never physically abusive to Heard.

Heard is countersuing for $100 million, claiming that she was only ever violent with Depp in self-defense or to protect her younger sister. Here's what the jury has heard so far, as well as some background on the case.

Jurors saw messages and "reminders" written in blood by Depp after his finger was cut in a scuffle on March 7, 2015. During the filming of the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film, he claimed Heard hurled a vodka bottle at him while they were staying on an island in Australia.

According to The Guardian, jurors were shown an audio tape in which Depp appeared to threaten Heard with violence if their disputes became heated.

However, according to a professional and forensic psychologist hired by Depp, Heard had "histrionic and borderline personality disorders" as well as "grossly inflated symptoms of PTSD."

Dr. Dawn Hughes, an expert psychologist, testified in defense that Heard suffered from PTSD as a result of Depp's physical and sexual abuse. Hughes believed Depp's "obsessive jealousy" was to blame for the violence.

Heard's lawyers were prepared to call Depp back to the stands for extra questioning, but they abruptly changed their minds.

Depp's reputation is likewise unlikely to totally recover following his recent run of litigation. Even after Heard accused him of domestic abuse, Hollywood had plenty of cover to keep doing business as normal, as it had worked with Depp up until he took the fight to court.

After all, he wasn't sacked from Fantastic Beasts until he lost his case in the United Kingdom. Another setback in the US courts is likely to make him a long-term liability for movie studios.

However, Heard, who lacks a well-established reputation to shield her, may be in far more danger.

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Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial summarized

After filming The Rum Diary in 2011, Depp and Heard began dating.They married in 2015, but Heard filed for divorce and obtained a temporary restraining order against Johnny Depp just 15 months later, accusing him of "hitting her."

Heard told the Associated Press at the time that she had been subjected to "severe emotional, verbal, and physical abuse" by her ex-husband, including having a cellphone hurled in her face with "great force." Depp has denied any wrongdoing on his part.

However, before the restraining order trial could begin, the pair issued a joint statement saying:

“Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.”

In the subsequent divorce procedures, Heard was awarded a $7 million settlement, which she promised to contribute to the American Civil Liberties Union. Depp's team, on the other hand, "now doubts" that the money was ever donated.

Johnny Depp filed a libel suit against The Sun tabloid in 2018 after an article referred to him as a "wife beater."

After a British judge ruled that the "vast majority" of Heard's allegations of abuse could be proven to be to civil standards, which implies "the abuse was more likely than not to have occurred," he lost the case.

Heard penned an opinion post in The Washington Post in December 2018, during the "height" of the #MeToo movement, "calling out societal conventions that prop up domestic abusers and push down their victims."

She repeated charges she made two years ago about being abused earlier in her life in the piece, but did not specifically name Depp.

Depp was fired from his starring role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise just four days after the article was published, and he sued Heard for $50 million two months later, accusing her of defaming him by claiming she had been a victim of domestic abuse.

Heard has filed a $100 million lawsuit, alleging that Depp "organised a slander campaign against her."

The televised trial is being held in Virginia, where The Washington Post's headquarters are located.

With the hashtag #BelieveMaleVictims, sincere tweets regarding Depp abound on Twitter. The actor's supporters believe that his openness to admit to being a victim of domestic violence is a significant step towards ending the taboo.

The Washington Examiner said :

“One can only hope that public attention surrounding the Depp trial will impart the importance of protecting oneself and believing male victims, too,”

However, if this case has proven anything, it is that Johnny Depp is still a star capable of capturing the nation's attention.Maybe that's enough for a movie star whose star is withering fast.

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