"It follows that this claim is dismissed. Our Morning Update and Evening Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Heard insisted she was telling the truth and said she had spoken out reluctantly. “Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the U.S.,” she said. Both sides offered testimony from friends and former employees to back their version of events, and the judge must decide which account is more credible. © Copyright 2020 The Globe and Mail Inc. All rights reserved. “I am certainly not a violent person, especially with women,” he said. Heard detailed 14 occasions of extreme violence when she said the actor choked, punched, slapped, head-butted, throttled and kicked her. Actor Johnny Depp waves as he leaves the High Court in London, Britain, on July 16, 2020. Heard said Depp would turn into a jealous alter ego, "the monster", after bingeing on drugs and alcohol. Heard, 34, testified as the main witness for the defense, saying Depp turned into a violent alter ego he dubbed the “Monster” when under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Click here to subscribe. But he denied that drugs made him violent. He had often threatened to kill her, she said. The newspaper also questioned his casting in the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them movie franchise. Instead, Depp appeared in a minor supporting role as a Vietnamese-speaking private in Oliver Stone's Vietnam War drama Hollywood star Johnny Depp on Monday lost his libel battle with a British tabloid which labelled him a "wife beater" after a High Court judge ruled that the paper's allegations were "substantially true". Depp is also suing Heard for $50 million in Virginia over a Washington Post story about domestic violence. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. If you are looking to give feedback on our new site, please send it along to, To view this site properly, enable cookies in your browser. Sasha Wass, lawyer for News Group Newspapers, said there was “no doubt that Mr. Depp regularly and systematically abused his wife.”. Heard, 34, testified as the main witness for the defense, saying Depp turned into a violent alter ego he dubbed the “Monster” when under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Both sides offered testimony from friends and former employees to back their version of events, and the judge must decide which account is more credible. “I think that it’s going to persist, because whoever wins in this case, the way in which this case was presented, the issues that came up, particularly around gendered presentation of the case, I think that’s going to be studied for years to come.”, Johnny Depp. Depp's first film role was in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), in which he played the boyfriend of heroine Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) and one of Freddy Krueger's victims. Read also: Johnny Depp's libel case: The evidence so far Heard said Depp would turn into a jealous alter ego, "the monster", after bingeing on drugs and alcohol. Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, Heard’s U.S. counsel, said in a statement that the verdict is “not a surprise” for anyone who followed the trial in the summer. Both accused the other of violent outbursts. Thank you for your patience. He had often threatened to kill her, she said. After a starring role in the comedy Private Resort (1985), Depp was cast in the lead role of the skating drama Thrashin' (1986) by the film's director, but the decision was later overridden by its producer. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. There will be no in-person hearing because of the coronavirus pandemic. I'm a print subscriber, link to my account, Avoid the use of toxic and offensive language. Depp acknowledged heavy drug use, saying he took marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and magic mushrooms, and became addicted to opioid painkillers. Justice Andrew Nicol is due to deliver his judgment in writing, three months after the end of a trial that exposed stark details of the Hollywood couple’s tempestuous marriage. The alleged assaults took place in glamorous settings including the couple’s luxury penthouse, Depp’s private island in the Bahamas and an executive jet. In a statement, Depp’s legal firm called the court’s decision “as perverse as it is bewildering,” and called out the “reliance on the testimony of Amber Heard” in the verdict. "I accept that the defendants have shown that the words they published were substantially true in the meanings I have held them to bear," Nicol said in his ruling which could have a major impact on Depp's reputation and future career. Full Disclaimer. The pair met on the set of 2011 comedy “The Rum Diary” and married in Los Angeles in 2015. This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy. Both Depp and Heard spent several days in the witness box during the three-week trial in July, giving irreconcilable accounts of their volatile relationship. Depp sued News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the newspaper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that accused him of assaulting his wife Amber Heard. Also available in French and Mandarin. Nicol rejected Depp's characterization of Heard as a gold-digger and his allegation that her claims were a hoax. Depp’s lawyer, David Sherborne, accused Heard of wrongly donning the mantle of the #MeToo movement and called her “a wholly unreliable witness and frankly a compulsive liar.”. They separated the following year and divorced in 2017. Heard insisted she was telling the truth and said she had spoken out reluctantly. Depp, 57, branded he allegations “sick” and a “hoax” and claimed Heard was the aggressor during their relationship. “The reputations of both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are tarnished irrevocably,” said Mark Stephens, a media lawyer at the law firm Howard Kennedy, ahead of the verdict. The … At the start of the nineties, Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder were the hottest couple in town - young, beautiful and completely inseparable. By The Associated Press. RELATED: Sia Voices Support For Johnny Depp As Amber Heard Legal Battle Continues: ‘He’s Clearly The Victim’. Photo: EPA/WILL OLIVER/CP Images, Mark Ruffalo, LeBron James & More Stars Go Crazy For Epic ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Election Video, Miley Cyrus Teams Up With Stevie Nicks For Epic ‘Edge Of Midnight (Midnight Sky Remix)’ Mashup, Jenny McCarthy Responds After Wendy Williams Appears To Throw Shade At Her Lips On ‘Masked Singer’, Kelly Clarkson Sues Estranged Husband’s Father In Response To His Lawsuit, Taylor Kinney, Miranda Rae Mayo Tease ‘Chicago Fire’ Season 9, Nine Inch Nails React To Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Induction, Gretchen Carlson Returns To News With Podcast, Daily Download: Hailey Bieber Shuts Down Pregnancy Rumours. She alleged 14 separate incidents between 2013 and 2016 in which he hit, slapped and shoved her, pulled her hair and threw bottles at her. “I am certainly not a violent person, especially with women,” he said. “What woman has ever benefited from being a victim of domestic violence?” she asked in court. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. (REUTERS/Hannah McKay). ", Read also: Johnny Depp's libel case: The evidence so far. If Depp loses, his career may never recover. That means: Comments that violate our community guidelines will be removed. Please log in to listen to this story. "Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence to the court," the Sun said in a statement. U.S. actor Johnny Depp as he arrives to attend day twelve of his libel trial against News Group Newspapers, at the High Court in London, on July 22, 2020. Depp’s lawyer, David Sherborne, accused Heard of wrongly donning the mantle of the #MeToo movement and called her “a wholly unreliable witness and frankly a compulsive liar.”. If he wins, he is likely to get only a modest sum in damages. The decision is a big blow personally, and financially, to Depp. Depp, 57, famed for his role in films such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Edward Scissorhands, had sued News Group Newspapers, publishers of the Sun, and one of its journalists, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article which stated he had been violent towards his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, 34. Heard, 34, testified as the main witness for the defence, saying Depp turned into a violent alter ego he dubbed the “Monster” when under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Both Depp and Heard spent several days in the witness box during the three-week trial in July, giving irreconcilable accounts of their volatile relationship. The pair met on the set of 2011 comedy “The Rum Diary” and married in Los Angeles in 2015. Sign up today. Audio for this article is not available at this time. He claimed that Heard hit him, even severing the tip of his finger with a thrown vodka bottle during an altercation in Australia during filming of a “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter . It is about vindication.”, Mark Stephens, a media lawyer at the law firm Howard Kennedy, said, in the end, “both parties are going to lose this case.”, “The reputations of both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are tarnished irrevocably,” Stephens said. We hope to have this fixed soon. Heard said Depp would turn into a jealous alter ego after bingeing on drugs and alcohol and often threatened to kill her. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. He claimed that Heard hit him, even severing the tip of his finger with a thrown vodka bottle during an altercation in Australia during filming of a “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. A British judge will decide Monday whether a tabloid newspaper defamed Johnny Depp by calling him a “wife beater,” a ruling with huge implications for the careers of both Depp and former spouse Amber Heard. Depp, 57, branded the allegations “sick” and a “hoax” and claimed Heard was the aggressor during their relationship. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. The alleged assaults took place in glamorous settings including the couple’s luxury penthouse, Depp’s private island in the Bahamas and an executive jet. 351 King Street East, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON Canada, M5A 0N1, Amber Heard tells U.K. court she feared ex-husband Johnny Depp would kill her, JK Rowling, Warner Bros. voice support for Johnny Depp, The Latest: White House reacts to Depp 'assassin' comments, Due to technical reasons, we have temporarily removed commenting from our articles. Your premium period will expire in 0 day(s), Main cast revealed for adaptation of Eka Kurniawan’s ‘Seperti Dendam’, Mola TV’s livestream show to feature actor Sharon Stone, Netflix show 'The Queen's Gambit' sparks fresh interest in chess, Johnny Depp's libel case: The evidence so far. "For those of us present for the London High Court trial, this decision and judgment are not a surprise," Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, Heard's US lawyer said in a statement. Depp is also suing Heard for $50 million in Virginia over a Washington Post story about domestic violence. They separated the following year and divorced in 2017. The reputational impact of the trial for Depp remains to be seen, but there may be more to come – here’s the response from Depp’s legal firm Schillings, which says the judgement is “so flawed that it would be ridiculous” for Depp not to appeal pic.twitter.com/Yd3bnB8NXS, — Rob Picheta (@robpicheta) November 2, 2020. But Sherborne told the court “this is not a case about money. “I think that it’s going to persist, because whoever wins in this case, the way in which this case was presented, the issues that came up, particularly around gendered presentation of the case, I think that’s going to be studied for years to come.”. Depp had told the court he was never violent towards his ex-wife, saying her claims were a hoax and that he had lost the tip of a finger after she threw a vodka bottle at him during one particularly ferocious row in Australia. Heard said Depp would turn into a jealous alter ego, “the monster”, after bingeing on drugs and alcohol. Depp acknowledged heavy drug use, saying he took marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and magic mushrooms, and became addicted to opioid painkillers. Read our. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. Depp sued News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the newspaper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, at London’s High Court over an April 2018 article that accused him of assaulting Heard, an actress whose films include “Justice League” and “Aquaman.”. Depp has also filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard in a Virginia court over an opinion piece she wrote in The Washington Post. We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate. She alleged 14 separate incidents between 2013 and 2016 in which he hit, slapped and shoved her, pulled her hair and threw bottles at her. Amber Heard claims that Johnny Depp had an alter ego they both referred to as 'the monster' during the time she alleges they were in an abusive relationship.. But he denied that drugs made him violent. The trial is due to be held next year. “What woman has ever benefited from being a victim of domestic violence?” she asked in court. 2 Nov 2020 8:24 AM, LONDON (AP) — Britain’s High Court has ruled against Johnny Depp in his libel action against the owner of the Sun tabloid over allegations that he was a “wife beater.”, In a ruling Monday, Justice Andrew Nicol said Depp has “not succeeded in his action for libel.”, Though Nicol said Depp had “proved the necessary elements of his cause of action in libel,” the defendants had shown that “what they published in the meaning which I have held the words to bear was substantially true.”, RELATED: Johnny Depp Thanks Fans For Support Amid Defamation Lawsuit Against Ex Amber Heard. Over the course of three weeks at London's Old Bailey in July, judge Andrew Nicol heard evidence from both Depp and Heard about their tempestuous marriage, alleged affairs, his hedonistic lifestyle and battle with drink and drugs, and their furious rows. Heard, 34, testified as the main witness for the defence, saying Depp turned into a violent alter ego he dubbed the “Monster” when under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Heard, 34, testified as the main witness for the defense, saying Depp turned into a violent alter ego he dubbed the “Monster” when under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The trial is due to be held next year.