Johnny Depp rejects 'heinous' abuse charges by ex Amber Heard

US — "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp denied ever physically abusing Amber Heard as he took the witness stand on Tuesday at the US defamation trial against his former wife.

"There were arguments and things of that nature but never did I myself reach the point of striking Miss Heard in any way," Depp told the jury hearing the case at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia.

"Nor have I ever struck any woman in my life," he said.

Depp said the "heinous and disturbing" allegations of domestic abuse made against him by Heard were "not based in any species of truth" and came as a "complete shock."

Depp was asked by one of his lawyers why he had brought the defamation case against his ex-wife.

"I felt it my responsibility to stand up not only for myself, but stand up for my children," Depp said. "I wanted to clear my children of this horrid thing that they were having to read about their father that was untrue."

"It's strange when one day you're Cinderella, so to speak, and then in 0.6 seconds you're Quasimodo," he added.

The 58-year-old Depp, his hair slicked back in a ponytail and wearing a black suit, black shirt and floral pattern tie, took the stand on the fifth day of the blockbuster defamation trial.

Depp filed the defamation suit after Heard, who turns 36 on Friday, wrote a column for The Washington Post in December 2018 in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse."

The actress never named Depp, whom she met in 2009 on the set of the film "The Rum Diary," but he sued her for implying he was a domestic abuser and is seeking $50 million in damages.

Heard, who was married to Depp from 2015 to 2017, countersued, asking for $100 million and claiming she suffered "rampant physical violence and abuse" at his hands.

Depp accuses Heard of seeking to "generate positive publicity for herself" ahead of the release of the film "Aquaman," in which she had a starring role.

Depp filed the defamation complaint against Heard in the United States after losing a separate libel case in London in November 2020 that he brought against the tabloid The Sun for calling him a "wife-beater."

'Never seen Johnny abuse anybody' 

In opening arguments, Heard's lawyers alleged that Depp became a "monster" during drug- and alcohol-fueled benders and physically and sexually abused Heard.

Depp's attorneys rejected the allegations as untrue and said they have had a "devastating" impact on the actor's Hollywood career.

He left his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise and was asked to step down from the "Fantastic Beasts" series based on the book by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

Depp took the witness stand following testimony from a member of his security detail, Sean Bett, and Keenan Wyatt, who worked as a sound engineer on many of his movies.

Both men testified that they had never seen Depp be violent in any way.

"I've never seen Johnny abuse anybody ever," Wyatt said.

Bett said he had witnessed Heard though once throw a "water bottle or a plastic cup" at Depp.

Depp filed his case in Virginia since the Post is printed there but he is not suing the newspaper itself.

Virginia also has defamation laws considered to be more favorable to plaintiffs than those in California, where the two actors live. 

In 2016, Heard sought a restraining order against Depp amid abuse allegations. Their divorce was finalized in 2017. — by Jim Watson with Chris Lefkow in Washington

Agence France-Presse

Amber Heard sues comedian Stanhope for defamation over Johnny Depp

LOS ANGELES | Lawyers for actress Amber Heard filed a defamation lawsuit against comedian Doug Stanhope on Friday after he wrote an article accusing her of blackmailing and manipulating her estranged husband, actor Johnny Depp.

The complaint was filed in Cochise County, Arizona, against Stanhope and 20 unnamed individuals associated with the comedian.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial and says that Heard would donate all proceeds to a battered women’s shelter in Arizona.

Representatives for Stanhope and Depp did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The complaint is in response to a May 29 guest column by Stanhope published on entertainment trade outlet TheWrap.com and headlined “Johnny Depp Is Being Blackmailed by Amber Heard – Here’s How I Know.”

Stanhope, who said he was a friend of Depp’s, wrote that Depp had told him that Heard was leaving him and “threatening to lie about him publicly in any and every possible duplicitous way if he didn’t agree to her terms.”

“Blackmail is what I would imagine other people might put it, including the manner in which he is now being vilified,” Stanhope wrote.

Lawyers for Heard called Stanhope’s comments, detailed in the complaint, “completely false and highly defamatory.”

The lawsuit is the latest step in the increasingly acrimonious split between Heard, 30, and Depp, 52, who had been married for 15 months.

Heard filed for divorce from Depp in Los Angeles last month, citing irreconcilable differences, and obtained a temporary restraining order against the actor.

She said in court papers that Depp had been abusive to her throughout their relationship, culminating in a May 21 argument during which he hurled a cell phone at her face and shattered objects in her apartment.

The documents included photos of the actress with a bruised eye that she said she sustained in the incident. Heard later gave a statement to Los Angeles police in which she accused Depp of domestic violence.

Depp, one of Hollywood’s top stars and box office draws, is currently touring with his band Hollywood Vampires in Europe and is scheduled to perform in Bucharest, Romania, on Monday.

The actor’s 17-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, Lily-Rose Depp, supported her father on Instagram last week, posting a photo captioning her father as “the sweetest most loving person I know.”

source: interaksyon.com

Johnny Depp’s wife faces charges over bringing dogs Down Under

SYDNEY | Australia’s “war on terrier” with Johnny Depp has taken another turn, with authorities saying Thursday the Hollywood star’s wife faces charges over bringing their two dogs into the country.

The Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for biosecurity, said actress-model Amber Heard was served with a summons on Tuesday to answer charges for allegedly breaching quarantine laws.

“(This) action follows an incident where a biosecurity officer attended a Gold Coast property… and found two dogs alleged to be illegally imported,” a department spokeswoman said.

Reports said the case was due to be heard in September in a Queensland state court, though it is not known whether Heard will appear in person.

Penalties for contravening the Quarantine Act range from fines to a maximum of 10 years in prison for the worst cases.

Terriers Pistol and Boo created a media storm earlier this year when they were discovered in Queensland, where Depp is filming “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”, seemingly having bypassed the usual conditions for animals brought into Australia.

The dogs’ presence in Australia only came to light when they were taken to a grooming salon.

Dogs are subject to strict controls for biosecurity reasons, with a permit mandatory and a minimum 10-day stay in a quarantine facility on arrival required.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce threatened to have the animals put down unless they were removed, warning in May that: “It’s time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.”

After the summons against Heard was issued, Joyce said he was unable to comment on matters before a court hearing but the law was the same for everybody.

“You come into our nation, you have to abide (by) biosecurity protocols,” he told reporters on Thursday.

RABIES FEAR

Joyce said a rabies outbreak, a major fear from dog importation, would have widespread ramifications.

“It’s not just the people on the streets that would be affected, if that got out into the general wild dog population in Australia, which is massive, it would have devastating effects,” he said.

“It’s also a pathogen that could make its way into the bat population, and how many towns do you know that have a bat colony smack bang, unfortunately, in the middle of town? We’ve got enough problems with them, let alone if they became rabid.”

Pistol and Boo returned to the United States in the days after their discovery in late May. Speaking to Australian media later, Heard indicated an unwillingness to return to the country.

“I have a feeling we are going to avoid the land Down Under from now on just as much as we can thanks to certain politicians there,” she told Australia’s Channel Seven in an apparent reference to Joyce.

“I guess everyone tries to go for their 15 minutes (of fame), including some government officials.”

Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton said Thursday the law should apply equally to passengers on commercial flights and private jets.

“Regardless of whether people are coming in by Qantas flight or coming on a private jet, they should be subject to the same clearance arrangements and that is the way in which the law is written,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“So, we need to make sure that in practice that is happening as well, and we need to make sure that the proper checks are undertaken.”

Depp has charmed Australians during his stay in Queensland, spending time with fans on location and visiting sick children in hospital dressed as his pirate character Jack Sparrow.

source: interaksyon.com

Johnny Depp, 50, engaged to wed Amber Heard, 27

LOS ANGELES | Hollywood actor Johnny Depp and the actress Amber Heard are engaged to be married, People magazine reported.

“They couldn’t be happier to be engaged and excited to share the rest of their lives together. Amber has really taken well to the kids and really enjoys spending time with them,” the People report said, citing an unnamed source.



Representatives for Depp, 50, and Heard, 27, did not immediately confirm the report.

Depp, a veteran whose diverse career includes “Edward Scissorhands,” and the recent “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, was previously in a 14-year relationship with French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis.

They have two children and were not married, ending their relationship in 2012.

When the couple separated, entertainment media speculated Depp may have had a relationship with Heard, at the time a co-star in the film “The Rum Diary.”

Heard is known for the film “Zombieland.” She has spoken of her bisexuality and was recently in a four-year relationship with photographer Tasya van Ree. They split in 2012 around the same time as Depp and Paradis.

Depp was married in the 1980s to Lori Anne Allison. He also dated actress Winona Ryder and British supermodel Kate Moss.

Depp and Heard are starring in the upcoming film “London Fields”.

source: interaksyon.com