Amber Heard was grilled by Johnny Depp’s attorneys over an audio recording where she is heard pushing her ex-husband to “tell the world” he was a victim of domestic abuse.
Ms Heard took the stand in the courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on Monday as the multi-million-dollar defamation trial resumed after a one-week break.
Under cross-examination, Mr Depp’s attorneys played audio of Ms Heard telling Mr Depp: “Tell them, I, Johnny Depp, I’m a victim of domestic abuse ... and see how many people believe or side with you.”
Mr Depp’s attorney grilled Ms Heard about her comments, asking if she didn’t believe her husband would tell the world that he was a victim.
Ms Heard agreed that she wouldn’t believe he would claim to be a victim because he was the one “who beat me up”.
“I was saying it to the man who beat me up,” replied Ms Heard.
“I found it hard to believe that he could or would do that given the relationship that he and I had.
“I thought that it would be crazy for him to do so knowing what we lived through.”
When pressed that she was referring to Mr Depp not coming forward as a male victim of abuse, Ms Heard denied that she was referring to his gender.
“I was saying it as he was a man who beat me up for five years,” she said.
During intense questioning, Mr Depp’s attorney questioned why Ms Heard did not have visible bruises or signs of abuse in some photos taken at various events after alleged violence took place.
Ms Heard explained that she had used make-up to cover the marks and ice to reduce swelling.
Jurors were shown close-up photos of Ms Heard’s mouth taken after an appearance on James Corden’sThe Late Late Show one day after she claims she was abused by her husband.
At the time, she allegedly had a bust lip and facial bruises from Mr Depp hitting her. Images of her bruised face taken the day before were later published in People magazine.
She was also questioned about whether there were any medical records for the alleged incident where Mr Depp sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle. Ms Heard said she did not seek medical attention as she didn’t want anyone to know what happened.
The court also heard audio of Johnny Depp telling Amber Heard in 2016 that “you’ll never see my eyes again”.
Mr Depp’s attorney questioned Ms Heard that her former spouse “hasn’t looked at you once this entire trial?”
When Ms Heard agreed, the attorney said “but you have looked at him many times”.
“You know exactly why he won’t look back at you,” the attorney said.
Ms Heard told the court: “He can’t.”
Mr Depp is suing his ex-wife for defamation over the 2018 op ed she penned for The Washington Post where she described herself as a “a public figure representing domestic abuse”.
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is not named in the article, which is titled “I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change”.
However Mr Depp claims that it falsely implies that he is a domestic abuser – something that he strongly denies – and that it has left him struggling to land roles in Hollywood. He is suing for $50m.
Ms Heard is countersuing for $100m, accusing Mr Depp of orchestrating a “smear campaign” against her and describing his lawsuit as a continuation of “abuse and harassment”.
