Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial news summary: Friday 17 June 2022

LATEST NEWS

What did Heard tell Savannah Guthrie about Depp trial? Summary, highlights of TV interview

In her first interview since losing her court battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard sat down for an hour-long interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie.

AS USA takes a look at some of the key quotes from the interview

Latest News

Can Amber Heard afford to pay Johnny Depp after the trial? Will she appeal?

The jury in the defamation case brought by Johnny Depp against Amber Heard for an opinion piece she published in The Washington Post has ended. The court has ordered Amber Heard to pay $10.35 million in damages while also requiring Depp to pay $2 million to Heard for articles written by his publicist in The Daily Mail.

Will both sides be able to comply with their court mandated payments?

US NEWS

When is Amber Heard’s appeal over losing Johnny Depp trial?

On Wednesday 1 June, the $50-million defamation case brought by Johnny Depp against Amber Heard for an opinion piece she published in The Washington Post came to an end. The court’s decision was much lower than initially demanded by Depp’s legal team as it ordered Heard to pay $10.35 million to him in damages. There was also, though, a requirement on Depp to pay $2 million to his former wife for articles written by his publicist in The Daily Mail.

So that is that, right?It appears not.

Heard claims binder-full of doctor's notes could've change defamation trial outcome

Amber Heard's exclusive interview with Savannah Guthrie for NBC News, will air in full on Dateline Friday night at 8 pm ET.

One detail that has come out is that she believes one particular piece of evidence could've changed the jury's verdict, but it wasn't allowed in the courtroom during her defamation trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp.

"There's a binder worth of years of notes dating back to 2011 from the very beginning of my relationship that were taken by my doctor, who I was reporting the abuse to," Heard told Guthrie.

"Her notes represented years — years — of real-time explanations of what was going on."

Heard challenges Depp to do his own interview

If Mr. Depp or his team have a problem with this, we recommend that Johnny himself sit down with Savannah Guthrie for an hour and answer all her questions.

Edward Scissorhands' insert hand expected to fetch $50,000 at auction

The metal insert hand which Johnny Depp wore in Tim Burton's 1990 fantasy movie Edward Scissorhands is expected to fetch a fee of up to $50,000 in Propstore's Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in Los Angeles next week. So far there have been three bids, with the top bid at $20,000. The auction ends on Tuesday 21 June.

The right insert hand consists of a rubber, resin and leather glove mounted on one side of a T-shaped metal armature to a wooden base. It comes with a letter of authenticity from the film's mechanical department coordinator, Richard Landon.

Edward Scissorhands, a boy with scissor-like fingers, used his blades to turn an ice angel into a snow flurry for his love interest Kim, played by Winona Ryder. Depp and Ryder were engaged for a while in real life, their three-year relationship ended in 1993.

A year ago, a pair of original scissorhand wardrobe glove props, worn by Johnny Depp in the film sold for $44,800 at Julien's “Hollywood Sci-Fi, Action, Fantasy and More Auction” in Beverly Hills.

Johnny Depp sings Velvet Underground classic off new covers album

Jeff Beck has posted a video of his collaboration with Johnny Depp from their new album of covers 18. Depp provides the vocals on the lo-fi Lou Reed classic Venus in furs from the Velvet Underground's first album, released in 1966.

Amber Heard seeks refuge away from media spotlight in Mojave desert

Amber Heard has gone as far away as possible to escape the media spotlight after being ordered to pay Johnny Depp $10.35 million in damages following a lengthy defamation trial. The actress is believed to have sought refuge in her remote, luxury bolthole the Mojave desert, south east California.

She bought the 230 metre-square rustic abode, located on a six-acre estate in the Yucca Valley, in 2019 for $570,000 but could now sell it for many times that price. Yucca Valley is a town of 20,000 people. The nearest major destination is Joshua Tree National Park, roughly 10 miles due east, though the city is also 27 miles north of Palm Springs and 55 miles east of San Bernardino.

"It's unfortunate that while Johnny is looking to move forward with his life, the defendant and her team are back to repeating, reimagining and re-litigating matters that have already been decided by the Court and a verdict that was unanimously and unequivocally decided by a jury in Johnny's favor,"

Experts explain why Savannah Guthrie should not have interviewed Amber Heard

NBC presenter Savannah Guthrie should not have interviewed Amber Heard as it has emerged that her husband, Michael Feldman, worked with Johnny Depp's legal team. That connection goes against journalistic ethics, some have argued. The interview will be aired by NBC at 8pm this evening but preview teasers have been released over the past few days.

During her introduction, Guthrie explained, “My husband has done consulting work for the Depp legal team, but not in connection with this interview.”

Ethics experts claim that Guthrie has a clear conflict of interest by disclosing her husband's ties to Depp’s lawyers. "She could have avoided becoming part of the story by allowing another NBC anchor to interview the Depp team and later with Ms. Amber Heard," Rebecca Aguilar, president of the Society of Professional Journalists, told Insider. "Ms Guthrie should be far away from this story to show her viewers that she is fair, transparent, and ethical”.

US NEWS

Juror of the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial speaks: what does he accuse Heard of?

Almost three weeks later after a verdict was reached in the Depp-Heard defamation trial, one member of the jury has spoken publicly about how they came to their ruling. The anonymous juror, speaking to Good Morning America, has shone a light into the process behind the scenes. So far, he is the only one of seven jurors to speak publicly.

Read more:

Amber Heard exclusive interview to be broadcast tonight

We have heard snippets of Amber Heard's exclusive interview with NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie over the past few days - her first interview since the defamation trial against her ex-husband Johnny Depp. The full interview will be aired tonight on NBC's Dateline show at 8pm EDT and can also be streamed on Peacock.

Johnny Depp and his influential beauty

Rhonda Garelick writes for the NYT and here gives her account of Johnny Depp and how his male beauty played its part during the trial. Here's a snipper:

'We know, of course, that men can be beautiful, but rarely do we acknowledge, let alone analyze, the powerful influence male beauty wields.

'That power was a central, yet singularly unacknowledged, element in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial, which wrapped up this month. Mr. Depp, like many Hollywood megastars, has long benefited from his striking good looks, which clearly played a role in the enormous social media support he garnered during the trial (of which it seems hard to imagine that the unsequestered jury was unaware).'

Camille Vasquez returns for Depp assault trial

Camille Vasquez got quite some attention in the Depp-Heard case and is set to represent Johnny Depp in court for a second time. It comes next month she will defend him against accusations of that he assaulted a crew member on-set in 2017. 

Gregg 'Rocky' Brooks, who worked as a location manager on Depp's film City of Lies, claims that the actor punched him in the chest during a dispute on the Los Angeles set in April 2017 Depp is being sued for "maliciously and forcefully" punching Brooks twice in his ribs before saying he would be willing to pay the plaintiff $100,000 if he dared to "punch him in the face". The lawsuit was filed in in July 2018 with Brooks claiming that Depp, who was under the influence of alcohol, lost his temper when he was told that filming would have to be put on hold temporarily for one night.

Brook's legal documents add that he was deliberately humiliated in front of the rest of the cast and production team and is suing for emotional distress, assault and negligence. Proceedings will begin on 25 July in Los Angeles County Superior Court

Beware false propheTikTokers

A TikTok user who originally uploaded videos admitted they were false and issued an apology on his TikTok page. 

The claims included that Heard made extensive eye contact with him throughout her testimony, while Heard’s habit of seemingly addressing the jury while testifying had been a known point of contention in the media coverage of the case.

As with anything, watch out what you believe from online content.

Jurors questioned

"Physical" abuse wasn't the only form of abuse that the jury was supposed to consider. The jurors did not satisfy the law here.

They also weren't supposed to go on social media AT ALL, not simply agree to keep it from their discussions.

#IStandWithAmberHeard"

Johnny Depp's album with Jeff Beck has now been released and features a series of cover versions including the likes of: 

Velvet Underground's seminal "Venus In Furs," the Everly Brothers' mellow "Let It Be Me" and Marvin Gaye's soul classic "What's Going On."

There also are cover versions of Davy Spillane's "Midnight Walker" and two covers the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" - "Caroline, No" and "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)."

Depp provides cocaine advice to Jason Donovan

Jason Donovan was advised by Johnny Depp to take things easy after he almost died after bingeing on drugs at Kate Moss' 21st birthday party in LA in January 1995.

After spending much of the night snorting lines of cocaine, Donovan collapsed at the Viper Room while Depp and INXS frontman Michael Hutchence were performing on stage, providing musical entertainment for the guests.

The Neighbours star recalls blacking out and being carried out of the club on a stretcher by paramedics. He was treated by Australian doctors at Cedars-Sinai hospital but discharged himself three hours later and returned to the hotel where Depp and his girlfriend were holding a small after-party.

Donovan takes up the story, from excerpts of his autobiography Between The Lines: My Story Uncut:

"I was so racked with guilt that I had ruined Kate's party, that I knew I had to go and apologise to her. She and Johnny were holding an after-party at my hotel so I knocked on their door. Johnny answered it. "I'm really sorry about what happened, mate," I ventured.

"'That's cool, don't worry'," he said, patting me on the back. "'We're just pleased that you are OK. Now take some advice from me, go to your room, get some sleep and for God's sake take it easy in future'.

"I headed back to my room, tail between my legs. I had made an utter fool of myself. I'd tried to party with the big boys, tried to be so very rock 'n' roll, but all I had done was make a complete fucking idiot of myself".

Heard fears Depp will sue her again

More from that previously mentioned Amber Heard interview on NBC, in which she said she fears that Johnny Depp will sue her again.

“I’m scared that no matter what I do, no matter what I say or how I say it, every step I take will present another opportunity for this sort of silencing,” she said.

“Which is what I guess a defamation lawsuit is meant to do, it’s meant to take your voice.”

Of the claims she made that sparked her legal battle with Mr Depp, she added: “I took for granted what I assumed was my right to speak.”

US NEWS

Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial: Craziest moments and weirdest courtroom appearances

From witnesses being removed from court, Johnny Depp falling asleep during the trial and another witness inexplicably driving his car while giving testimony, there have been a number of crazy moments in the trial that captured the world's attention.

Check them all out by clicking on the image above.

Heard to release therapy notes

Amber Heard is set to released therapy notes ‘dating back to 2011 from the very beginning of her relationship’ with Johnny Depp, which she says proves there was physical abuse in their marriage.

The Aquaman actress, 36, handed over a binder of notes to NBC’s Dateline ahead of her tell-all interview with Savannah Guthrie. She remains defiant after the jury's decision.

‘I will [stand by my testimony] to my dying day. I know what happened to me. I’m here as a survivor. To my dying day I will stand by every word of my testimony.’

Piers Morgan: "Amber Heard... like Megan Markle"

News UK host and shrinking violet Piers Morgan surprisingly threw his tuppence-worth of an opinion into the mix, comparing Amber Heard to Megan Markle during a recent episode of his Uncensored show.

Speaking about the interview which Heard gave to Today, her first public appearance in the media since losing the defamation trial, Morgan commented:

"When I watched this morning on the Today show, I've got to be honest with you, my mind went back to Megan Markle's Oprah Winfrey, two-hour whine-a-thon.

"Because the longer Amber Heard talks, frankly, the more she whines, the more she plays the victim, the more she tries to blame everybody but herself... as with Meghan Markle, the less I believe her. I find her a really incredible, or un-credible witness."

Amber Heard speaks out

in Thursday's interview, just two weeks after the actress lost the defamation trial against ex-husband Depp, NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie pushed Heard on a number of issues.

Heard said she stands behind “every word” of her testimony, but that she never wanted to go to trial. She revealed that she wanted to settle and move on with her life and reflected on the chaos on social media and pandemonium outside the courthouse.

You can watch the interview as it happened.

Heard says social media 'hate' during Depp trial was 'unfair'

Actress Amber Heard said the "hate" she suffered on social media during the trial against Johnny Depp was "not fair," but insisted she does not blame the jury for taking sides in favor of her ex-husband.

"The vast majority of this trial was played out on social media," she argued. "I think that this trial is an example of that gone haywire, gone amok and the jury's not immune to that".

The case, which was broadcast live, exposed intimate details about the former Hollywood couple's private life, and Heard became a target on social media.

"I don't presume that the average person should know these things," the actress said in her first wide-ranging interview since the verdict. "And I don't take it personally."

"But even if someone is sure I deserve all this hate, even if they think I'm lying, they couldn't look me in the eye and tell me they think there's been fair representation on social media."

"They can't tell me they think this has been fair," she told US station NBC.

Depp v Heard live updates: welcome

Good morning and welcome to our daily live blog for Friday 17 June on the aftermath of the Depp v Heard trial, in which a Virginia jury found that Amber Heard had defamed ex-husband Johnny Depp in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed entitled: "I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change."

Heard was ordered to pay Depp damages of $10.35m, but also won out on one count of her defamation counter-suit against the Pirates of the Caribbean star. She was awarded $2m.

Despite the length of time that has since past from the trial, the news and reaction continues to pour out and we'll attempt to keep you across it all.