Johnny Depp (58) accuses his ex-wife Amber Heard (36) of making false statements in a 2018 commentary on domestic violence published by the Washington Post. This has damaged Depp’s reputation. The actor is not mentioned by name in the article.

Depp is demanding around 50 million US dollars (equivalent to almost 48 million euros) in damages from Heard for defamation.

She, in turn, sees her reputation damaged by Depp’s allegations of criminal behavior such as perjury and fraud and has filed a counterclaim. The actress is seeking $100 million in damages.

Depp and Heard met while filming The Rum Diary in 2009. Their romance began in 2011 while on a promotional tour for the film. Depp had recently split from his longtime partner, French actress Vanessa Paradis (49), with whom he has two children. Depp and Heard married in 2015, but the actress filed for divorce after just 15 months of marriage. She accused her husband of domestic violence.

Because the “Washington Post” is printed in the Fairfax district of Virginia and the online servers are also stationed there, the process takes place in the US state. The process started on April 12 with Depp’s point of view. He was on the witness stand for four days. On May 4, Heard took the witness stand for the first time. So far she has testified three times. Closing arguments are expected on May 27, according to Judge Penney Azcarate.

Actors’ assistants, psychologists, police officers and financial advisors have already had their say. Cell phone videos and audio recordings of the couple’s arguments, some shocking, were presented in court. The mud fight in front of the jury is broadcast by court cameras.

Under oath, Depp has denied ever hitting Heard. The actor admitted that there had been arguments in their relationship. “But I never got to the point of hitting Miss Heard in any way, nor have I ever hit a woman in my life,” Depp said. Heard, in turn, had a “need for violence,” he accused his ex-wife.

The Aquaman actress threw a vodka bottle at him during an argument in 2015. Part of his middle finger was severed. Depp’s probably most absurd allegation: Amber once left her feces in his bed after an argument. A psychologist who testified for Depp certified Amber as having a personality disorder.

Partly in tears, Heard reports in court how Depp is said to have physically and sexually abused her. Much of this abuse is said to have happened when Depp was under the influence of drugs. He first hit her in 2012 after talking about a tattoo on his arm. Depp hit her in the face three times in a row. “It changed my life,” Heard said, visibly upset.

Another time he choked her. Heard further said her ex-husband had problems with her sex and nude scenes. He is said to have been particularly jealous of his colleague James Franco (44). The feces on the bed, which Depp claimed was hers, belonged to Depp’s dog, according to Heard. At the time, the animal was suffering from indigestion after eating Depp’s marijuana stash.

In a statement, Depp criticized Heard’s performance as an “acting achievement of her life”. According to a statement by Depp’s spokesman, from which numerous US media quoted, “new and suitable details” were constantly being added to Heard’s memories. In return, a spokesman for Heard countered that Depp’s reaction also proves that his lawsuit is currently falling apart.

The trial will resume on Tuesday (May 17), again with Heard on the witness stand.

The original to this article “What you need to know about the trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp” comes from Bunte.de.