- Title: Ruling in Johnny Depp libel case against The Sun deferred by judge
- Date: 30th June 2020
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FILE - FEBRUARY 21, 2020) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** JOHNNY DEPP ARRIVING AND ENTERING VENUE VARIOUS OF DEPP AT PRESS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 14th July 2020 11:59
- Keywords: Johnny Depp News Group Newspapers ex-wife Amber Heard libel case
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Celebrities,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA002CKKBYOD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The ruling in the libel case against the Sun by Johnny Depp has been deferred, but not thrown out, said London's High Court.
The judge on Monday (June 29) ruled the actor had breached a court order by not providing texts relating to his alleged drug use, but decided not to strike out the case, as the tabloid's publisher, News Group Newspapers had hoped for.
The Hollywood star last appeared in the London court on February 26 to hear his lawyer argue that his ex-wife Amber Heard had lied when she accused him of beating her in comments quoted by the Sun.
Depp, the 55-year-old star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, is suing News Group Newspapers, owned by the New York-listed News Corp, and its executive editor Dan Wootton for libel over an article Wootton wrote in 2018 calling Depp a "wife beater".
Both Depp and his ex-wife accused each other of physical abuse during their relationship. Heard first made allegations in 2016, which Depp denied.
The onus in the case is on the Sun to prove that it has not committed libel. It will argue simply that the article is not defamatory because it is true.
The High Court trial commences on July 7 and is expected to last three weeks.
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