The defamation trial of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard concluded its third week in a Virginia court on Friday. Depp is suing Heard, his ex-wife, for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Although Depp was not named in the article, he claims that it cost him lucrative acting roles.
Both Heard and Depp, who met in 2009 and were married from 2015 to 2016, accuse the other of acts of physical violence during their relationship . Both have denied the other’s claims.
The trial, which began on April 11, is expected to last six weeks . Heard has yet to testify. Pending the return to court on Monday, here’s a look at what happened last week at trial.
Depp says he is a victim of domestic abuse
Depp’s lawyer, Jessica Meyer , played a 2016 recording of a conversation between the former couple in which Heard expressed concern about regaining her reputation following media reports of abuse in their relationship.
“What did you say when Mrs. Heard said, ‘Tell the world, Johnny. Tell them, Johnny Depp, that I, Johnny Depp, a man, am also a victim of domestic violence’?” Meyers asked Depp.
“I said, ‘Yes, I am,’ ” Depp replied.
Bizarre testimony
On Wednesday, Alejandro Romero , who worked as a doorman at Depp and Heard’s former apartment building, gave recorded testimony from inside his car in which he was seen smoking and driving at one point.
Heard’s attorney called it “bizarre.” Judge Penney Azcarate called the moment a “first.”
“I just have to say I’ve never seen that before. I have seen many things, but I have never seen that” , Judge Azcarate said.
Depp’s former agent
In a recorded statement for the court, Depp’s former agent Christian Carino testified that he believes the domestic violence allegations made by Heard against Depp cost the actor future Pirates of the Caribbean films .
“My opinion is that Amber’s accusations would have had the most dramatic impact on her off-screen reputation. I’m not talking about any specific accusation,” Carino said. Carino began representing Depp in October 2016, and at one point he represented Depp and Heard at the same time.
An attorney for Heard pressed Carino about other problems Depp may have had while working on previous Pirates movies. “I am aware that he is late, but he has been late in his entire life,” Carino said. “I think it’s problematic for everyone, but everyone has learned how to make a movie to deal with it.”
ACLU
Terrace Dougherty, general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), testified in a recorded statement played Thursday about the ACLU’s close involvement in the writing and placement of the Heard-penned op-ed at the heart of the case. Depp.
Dougherty said ACLU staff members wrote an early draft of the article for Heard, focused on raising awareness of gender-based violence. Heard is an ambassador for the organization.
Dougherty said he recalled numerous emails back and forth with ACLU staff and Heard’s attorneys. “They suggested that the op-ed be edited in relation to the matters included in the NDA (a Heard and Depp divorce non-disclosure agreement),” Dougherty said.
ACLU staff worked to place the opinion piece in consultation with Heard’s team, Dougherty said, and that Heard wanted the article to come out right after Aquaman premiered , a strategy the ACLU agreed with.
“From the ACLU’s perspective, Amber is about to receive an incredible amount of press and be in the public eye, so what better time than now to publish this opinion piece so that it generates a significant number of readers on our issues. Dougherty said.
Dougherty also testified about donations received by or on behalf of Heard, after she publicly promised to donate her entire $7 million divorce settlement from Depp to charities, including the ACLU.
Dougherty said Heard agreed to pay the ACLU $3.5 million over several years. Heard herself has paid $350,000, Depp paid $100,000 on her behalf, $350,000 was paid from a donor-advised Fidelity fund on Heard’s behalf , and that her ex-boyfriend, Elon Musk, paid $500,000 from a donor-advised Vanguard fund on your behalf.
To date, Dougherty has testified that they have received $1.3 million from or on behalf of Heard. Payments stopped after 2019. Dougherty said he has no indication Heard has no intention of paying the rest of her pledged donation.