After wrapping up her cross-examination of Amber Heard, Camille Vasquez, one of Johnny Depp’s attorneys, turned to her client and wrapped him in a hug. The moment is immortalized in a photo that has come to encapsulate the most recent phase of the defamation trial opposing Depp and Amber Heard in Fairfax, Virginia. Vasquez’s eyes are closed. Her smile is blissful. Her golden Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels bracelets shimmer under the courtroom’s overhead lighting. Depp is seen from the back in a suit jacket, his hair in the sleek ponytail he’s worn since taking the stand as a witness himself – a departure from the earlier days of the trial, when he wore his chin-length hair down and Hollywood-messy.
It’s an image of cognitive dissonance, an oddly peaceful snapshot from a contentious, often harrowing trial. The jury has heard allegations of sexual assault, as well as physical, verbal, and mental abuse. Depp’s fans have gained momentum in person and online, where the proceedings can seem inescapable. Advocates and experts have expressed concern about how the trial will impact victims of domestic abuse and their perception.
