Falls Church: Johnny Depp surrounds himself with an entourage of enablers who shield him from the consequences of his drug and alcohol use, his ex-wife Amber Heard testified on Thursday.
Heard was on the witness stand defending herself against her ex-husband’s libel allegations.
Actor Amber Heard takes the stand in Fairfax County Circuit Court on Thursday.Credit:AP
Depp is suing Heard for libel over an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers say he was defamed by the 2018 article even though it never mentioned his name.
Heard told the Fairfax County Circuit Court that from 2013, she took photos of Depp while he was passed out. She said she took the photos because Depp couldn’t remember what he’d done while he was drunk and that he had denied what had occurred while he was blacked out.
“He wouldn’t remember or he would deny it. There was no one to back me up,” she said.
Heard has testified that she was physically and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions by Depp, typically while he was drunk or high on drugs.
Depp has denied ever hitting her, but Heard’s lawyers have said his denials lack credibility in part because he can’t remember what he does when he blacks out.
Depp has said Heard greatly exaggerates his drinking and that he tolerates alcohol well. Friends, family and employees of Depp have taken the stand and backed up his contention.
However, Heard said that’s part of the problem: she said Depp has a team around him that cleans him up when he gets sick and enables him to go about his business without acknowledging the consequences of his drinking.
Johnny Depp arrives in court on Thursday.Credit:AP
Heard took the witness stand for the first time on Wednesday in the widely followed trial and said the pair had a “magical” relationship until it turned violent.
Depp testified earlier in the trial that he had never hit Heard and that it was his ex-wife who was the abuser in their relationship.
The star of the Pirates of the Caribbean is suing Heard for $US50 million ($70 million). Heard has counter-sued for $US100 million, arguing Depp smeared her by calling her a liar.
AP
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