Amber Heard allegedly ‘lost consciousness’ during fight with Johnny Depp in Australia, defamation trial told
Amber Heard’s psychologist has alleged Johnny Depp tried to rape his ex-wife during a drug-fuelled rage in Australia. WARNING: GRAPHIC
Celebrity Life
Don't miss out on the headlines from Celebrity Life. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Johnny Depp allegedly tried to rape his ex-wife Amber Heard and forcibly performed a cavity search on her, psychologist Dawn Hughes has testified in court.
Dr Hughes told the court that the alleged sexual assault occurred in Australia when Heard told her she lost consciousness.
Depp has claimed Heard smashed his hand with a vodka bottle during the fight at their Gold Coast rental house, severing a piece of his finger, in 2015.
“He was beating her and choking her and telling her I am going to f**king kill you,” Dr Hughes told the defamation trial on Tuesday.
“He grabbed a bottle that was on the bar and penetrated her with that bottle.”
Dr Hughes said Heard had described dissociating from her body.
“The only thing she was thinking is, ‘I hope it’s not the broken one,’” the psychologist testified.
Depp has vehemently denied physically or sexually assaulting his ex-wife.
Hughes also described Depp as obsessively jealous, accusing Heard of having affairs with all her co-stars and trying to control her career.
On one trip, Depp allegedly accused a woman of hitting on Heard.
When the couple returned to their trailer, Hughes said that “Mr Depp performed a cavity search” with his fingers to look for cocaine he thought she was hiding inside her.
In another incident, Depp flew into a rage over Heard’s relationship with actor James Franco during a 2015 Boston to LA flight, the court heard.
“He starts talking about James Franco,” Hughes said. “‘Hope you had fun with your escapades.’
“He kicked her on the back and she went forward….”
The psychologist also said Depp got upset about Heard and actor Billy Bob Thornton but did not specify why.
Dr Hughes told the court Heard grew up in a violent household where she was physically abused by her father and witnessed him beat her mother.
“Her father was very explosive and had violent outbursts,” the psychologist said, as Heard bowed her head.
Hughes told jurors that Heard’s parents also struggled with drug addiction, and the actress was forced to become a caretaker at a young age.
As the doctor described her difficult childhood, Heard’s eyes appeared to water and her lower lip trembled.
The dysfunctional family dynamic played a role in her relationship with Depp, said Hughes, the first witness called by Heard’s team.
“She learned she could love someone who hurts her,” the doctor explained. “She knew people who hurt her could also love her.”
Dr Hughes testified that she had evaluated Heard in person and via Zoom for a total of about 29 hours since September 2019.
“The main opinion is that Ms Heard’s report of intimate partner violence, and the records I reviewed, is consistent about what we know in the field … characterised by physical violence, psychological aggression, sexual violence, coercive control and surveillance behaviours,” she said.
"She's the abuser in this courtroom!"#JohnnyDepp's attorney argues against #AmberHeard's request for a summary judgment.
— Court TV (@CourtTV) May 3, 2022
WATCH #CourtTV LIVE - #DeppvsHeard Defamation Trial - https://t.co/tnYdPcDRMUpic.twitter.com/rBbWBQuUaH
Johnny Depp's reaction as #AmberHeard's psychologist testiifes about Heard's reporting of violence by #JohnnyDepp. pic.twitter.com/HVngRKpH1g
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) May 3, 2022
Dr Hughes told the court she also determined that Ms Heard “demonstrated very clear psychological and traumatic effects”.
“I diagnosed Ms Heard with post traumatic stress disorder … caused by the intimate partner violence by Mr Depp,” she said.
Dr Hughes was the first witness called by Heard’s defence team after Depp’s attorneys rested their case earlier on Tuesday, the 13th day of the trial in Fairfax, Virginia.
Judge Penney Azcarate a motion from Heard’s legal team to strike in regards to two statements, but keeping one under advisement, and ruled that the case will proceed.
Heard is being sued by Depp for US$50m for implying he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Although she did not name him, he claims her allegations cost him lucrative movie roles.
This week Depp’s agent described his career leading up to and following the publication of the op-ed, calling it “catastrophic”. He said Depp lost his role in the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and he was unable to sign any studio productions in the years after.
An expert witness testified the actor potentially lost a total of $40m in earnings.
“She’s the abuser in this courtroom,” Depp’s lawyer said, pointing to Heard, before resting the case on Tuesday.
Heard is expected to testify on Thursday (AEDT).
Earlier, nurse Erin Falatai testified that Amber Heard texted her photos which showed the actress with a red and bruised face.
Asked about her thoughts on the photos, Ms Falatai gave an uncertain reply.
“I’m not an expert … I mean there’s colour on her face in different areas, I don’t know what’s what,” she said in a prerecorded deposition played in court on Monday, the New York Post reports.
Falatai also spoke about a time when Heard’s sister Whitney said the actress was suicidal.
Ms Falatai said she couldn’t remember when asked if Heard ever expressed fear of Depp.
A noted was produced in court explaining an instance when the nurse saw Heard bleeding from her lip, which the actress said was from a fight with Depp.
Depp’s bodyguard Travis McGivern said he first met Heard in 2013 and witnessed “verbal arguments, yelling” between the couple with Heard typically calling Depp names.
These verbal assaults included “you’re f– king washed up”; “you’re a f– king c– t”; “you’re a f– king deadbeat dad”, said McGivern who claimed Heard even levelled verbal abuse at him, calling him a “f– king yes man” for getting involved in her relationship with Depp.
“She threw some shade on me and my chosen career,” said McGivern, who observed the arguments increased when Heard and Depp returned from Australia in 2015.
It has now emerged that Heard will take the stand as the second witness for the defence as her legal team shifts tactics.
The actress was set to be the opening witness in the defence but her lawyers have now decided to put clinical and forensic psychologist Dr Dawn Hughes on the stand in the coming days before the Aquaman star, Deadline reports.
During Mr McGivern’s testimony, he said he observed Depp’s hand heavily wrapped.
He recalled an argument of March 23 in penthouse 5, and Depp texting McGivern at 4am requesting he bring the nurse Debbie Lloyd to the penthouse.
“I was hoping to get (Depp) out of there before (Heard) came back up. From past experience she would try to prevent us from leaving,” said McGivern.
“Mr Depp was sitting in front of the front door of penthouse 5, he had some bags like he was ready to go, I tried to get him out there. As we were getting ready to leave Ms Heard and Ms Lloyd exited the elevator. … At some point I witnessed Ms Heard throw a Red Bull can that struck Mr Depp in the back.”
“At some point Ms Heard threw something else, a purse or a bag, at some point she spit at him.
At one point Ms Heard and her sister (Whitney) left and went into an adjoining penthouse.
Depp threw down every rack of clothing belonging to Heard. He threw one rack of clothing down the stairs.”
Next thing he “saw a closed fist” belonging to Heard “come across and connect with Depp’s face”.
McGivern said he moved Depp down the stairs to the lower level “for his safety”.
As they were leaving Depp pointed to the left side of his face and said, “That’s your fault.”
“There was already a nice little shiner, definitely swollen and red,” said McGivern, who said he lost count of the verbal arguments and witnessed Heard be physically abusive or physical towards Depp on numerous occasions.
While he said he had observed Depp use marijuana “daily” and cocaine a “couple” of times, Depp also consumed alcohol “pretty regularly” as did Heard.
“She drank fairly regularly,” he said.
Next to testify was Jack Wigham, Depp’s agent. He described the effect of the 2018 op-ed written by Amber Heard on Depp’s career as “catastrophic”.
Margot Robbie, who Wigham described as a “fantastic actress” was to have a Pirates project developed for her after Disney had cancelled Depp and his $US22.5m ($A32m) salary.
The court heard that the last film Depp shot was in July 2020 and he has not done a film since then.
Johnny Depp’s talent manager Jack Whigham testified that Amber Heard’s 2018 Washington Post op-ed destroyed the actor’s ability to book big movies.
“After the op-ed it was impossible to get him a studio film which is what we normally would have been focused on,” Wigham said.
“I was not successful in rescuing Pirates for Johnny,” he added, referring to his apparent inability to convince producers to keep Depp.
Hollywood lawyer Richard Marks testified that Amber Heard’s 2018 op-ed about domestic violence “created a cancel situation, if you will,” he told the jury.
“You wouldn’t want negativity hiring an actor who quote-unquote had been cancelled,” Mr Marks said.
It comes after it emerged that lawyers for Heard will move to dismiss Depp’s defamation case against their client under a court procedure.
Under the statutes of law in Virginia, where the case is being heard, lawyers for the defence in civil cases are required to enter a motion to strike once the plaintiff has wrapped up their case and witnesses, Deadline reports.
In this case, Judge Penny Azcarate is not likely to make the decision to axe the trial.
Depp is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for $50m for defamation in connection with Heard’s 2018 Washington Post op-ed, in which she spoke out about being the victim of domestic violence. Heard’s article did not specifically name Depp as her alleged abuser, but according to Depp’s lawsuit, it relied “on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her.” Amber Heard is countersuing Depp for $100m.
AMBER HEARD SACKS PR TEAM
Amber Heard has dumped her PR team ahead of her anticipated appearance in the witness stand in the explosive defamation trial brought against her by ex-husband Johnny Depp.
The Rum Diary and Aquaman actress reportedly parted ways with crisis PR firm Precision Strategies on Thursday after becoming frustrated with her public portrayal during the trial.
She now has consulting firm Shane Communications on retainer, sources said.
“She doesn’t like bad headlines,” according to the New York Post, citing an unnamed source.
She is “frustrated with her story not being told effectively”, another source cited by the newspaper said.
Heard is expected to take the stand as early as Monday US time as the first witness for her defence in the $US50m trial in the Fairfax County Courthouse, Virginia.
Prior to the start of the five-week trial, Heard had tried unsuccessfully to have the suit dismissed or moved to another jurisdiction. Failing to do that, in 2020, Heard filed a $US100m countersuit against Depp.
Representatives for Heard have not yet made any comment about the actress’ testimony or its schedule.
An insider told Deadline: “It’s hard to see how Amber won’t prove to be a highly effective weapon against Depp in her own advocacy”.
“Regardless of how they have tried to characterise her, she has been nothing but well composed and pretty conservative in court without having said a word.”
Depp has repeatedly denied his ex-wife’s allegations of domestic abuse against him.
In four days of testimony, Depp gave rambling and at times irritable accounts of his own victimhood.
Depp’s employees from his business advisor to his security guard gave testimony that Heard was in fact the aggressor and “wore the pants” in arguments and at times physical altercations.
The trial in the Fairfax County Courthouse runs from Monday to Thursday from 10am to 5pm, and is scheduled to conclude on May 19.
Charles to ‘stay out’ of Republic debate
The King has issued a surprising response to a question about Australia’s future ahead of his five-day tour to the country later this week.
Read more
Star defends racy mag cover after backlash
JoJo Siwa has defended her decision to pose with a blinged-out jockstrap in a magazine cover photo shoot.
Read more