- Title: Johnny Depp departs court at end of day one
- Date: 7th July 2020
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) ACTOR JOHNNY DEPP LEAVING ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE/GETTING INTO CAR VARIOUS OF CAR WITH DEPP LEAVING COURT TEAM WITH AMBER HEARD AND AMBER HEARD (HEARD IN RED MASK) APPROACHING CAR/GETTING INTO CAR CAR LEAVING ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE
- Embargoed: 21st July 2020 17:39
- Keywords: Amber Heard Hollywood actor Johnny Depp libel case the sun
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA001CLTACSN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hollywood star Johnny Depp accused his ex-wife Amber Heard of lying about him beating her up, and told London's High Court on Tuesday (July 7) that she had actually struck him.
Depp, the 57-year-old star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, is suing The Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, for libel over an article Wootton wrote in April 2018 calling him a "wife beater".
The paper's lawyers said they would show the claim was true and that he had beaten actress Heard, causing her to fear for her life, during violent rages brought on by alcohol or drugs, sometimes when he had falsely accused her of infidelity.
"For the avoidance of any doubt, I have never abused Ms Heard, or, indeed, any other woman, in my life," Depp said in a witness statement in which he characterised his ex-wife as a calculating, emotionally dishonest narcissist.
Wearing a dark suit and glasses and speaking in a deep clear tone, Depp gave evidence at the beginning of the case at London's High Court. Heard, who arrived wearing a red scarf tied around her face, is also due to give evidence.
Appearing in the witness box, American Depp said he was the victim of attacks from his ex-wife and had himself sought to avoid confrontation.
"I would try to go to my own corner as it were," he said. Asked about one argument, Depp said: "It escalated and it got physical ... Miss Heard struck me."
The couple met on the set of the 2011 film "The Rum Diary" and married in February 2015. Heard filed for divorce after 15 months, and days later obtained a restraining order against Depp. Their divorce was finalised in 2017 when the restraining order was dismissed.
Cross-examined by lawyer Sasha Wass, Depp agreed he had taken "every drug known to man" by the age of 14 and said he had a difficult childhood and struggled to come to terms with his fame and success.
The court was shown mobile phone footage taken by Heard which showed an angry Depp slamming kitchen cupboard doors and pouring himself a "mega" glass of wine.
In his witness statement, Depp said Heard had thrown a vodka bottle at him, severing his finger off, and that his ex-wife or one of her friends had defecated in their bed.
The case is set to last for three weeks, the judge, Andrew Nicol, said. Also due to give evidence via videolink are Vanessa Paradis, Depp's former partner, and actress Winona Ryder.
(Production: Will Russell, Sarah Mills) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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