Johnny Depp's Sister Testifies in Case Against Amber Heard

And more from day 2 of the trial
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 13, 2022 1:16 AM CDT
What Happened on Day 2 of Johnny Depp-Amber Heard Trial
Amber Heard, left, goes over documents in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Fairfax, Va.   (Brendan Smialowski, Pool via AP)

A jury was selected Monday in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial, and on Tuesday, things kicked off in earnest. Both sides gave opening statements and witness testimony started in the libel case Depp has brought against Heard, his ex-wife. "Mr. Depp's team is going to try to turn this case into a soap opera," said one of Heard's lawyers. "Why? I'm not really sure, because the evidence isn't pretty for Mr. Depp." Another member of her defense team went on to claim that Depp dragged Heard across the floor, punched and kicked her, and "penetrated her with a liquor bottle." Even so, her team notes, the question being decided is quite narrow: Was the opinion piece she wrote, which did not name Depp but painted Heard as a survivor of domestic abuse, and which Depp is suing over, protected free speech?

"You're going to see who the real Johnny Depp is—behind the fame, behind the pirate costumes," a Heard lawyer said. “Because Johnny Depp brought this case, all of this is going to come out." But Depp could be seen shaking his head "no" as the defense team made allegations against him, Reuters reports. Depp's older sister was the first witness called, and she testified about their abusive mother, whom she said Depp had to hide from, the AP reports. She claimed she used to book him extra hotel rooms so he could also hide from Heard if she started a fight while they were traveling. She wouldn't, however, give much of an answer to questions about why she once texted her brother, "Stop drinking. Stop coke. Stop pills." She said simply she didn't know what that text was referring to. Depp glared at Heard's lawyer after she left the witness stand. (More Johnny Depp stories.)

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