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Home / Entertainment

Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial: Lawyers claim Depp is a 'demon' who held Heard hostage

NZ Herald
12 Apr, 2022 09:30 PM4 mins to read

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Johnny Depp's multimillion-dollar trial against Amber Heard gets underway. Video / AP

Warning: Distressing content

Amber Heard's attorneys have claimed Johnny Depp held her in a heated three-day "hostage situation" in 2015.

Depp is seeking US$50 million ($72m) in damages over an op-ed Heard wrote in the Washington Post in 2018 accusing him of domestic abuse.

But now Heard's team has made shocking allegations about his behaviour in court amid the defamation trial.

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Lawyer Elaine Bredehoft told the jury that he "had her jammed up against the bar. He has hurled bottles and bottles at her ... he has punched her. He has kicked her. He has told her he's going to f***ing kill her", reports the Daily Mail.

Bredehoft said the actor even attempted to penetrate her with a liquor bottle, at which Depp shook his head as if to say "no".

The shocking claims were denied by Depp's lawyers, who said in a statement, "These fictitious claims were never made at the onset of Amber's allegations in 2016, and only advantageously surfaced years later once she was sued for defamation after noting in her op-ed that she was a victim of 'sexual violence.'

"Words are key in a defamation case and conveniently, this allegation only came after that. This follows a pattern of her elaborate, erroneous claims which have continued to change and evolve over time for the purpose of Hollywood shock value of which Amber has mastered and used to exploit a serious social movement."

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Depp's lawyers claimed a "deeply troubled" Heard pursued the actor before flipping the script and berating him throughout their relationship.

"Miss Heard is a profoundly troubled person who manipulates the people around her.'"

Lawyer Camille Vasquez claimed that Heard "resorted to physical violence" against Depp - but the actress' legal team told a very different story.

Bredehoft told the jury Depp was filled with rage and "is like a demon".

Amber Heard seen outside court as the defamation trial begins. Photo / Getty Images
Amber Heard seen outside court as the defamation trial begins. Photo / Getty Images

"He viewed his wife Amber like his mother and his sister that he hates," Bredehoft said, adding that his anger was "fueled by the alcohol and the drugs".

According to Vasquez, Depp's friends saw "red flags" as the "real Miss Heard began to emerge".

"She would berate him, scream at him, he would try to appease….but it would always happen again.

"He started coping with Miss Heard in the same way he did as a child, try to get away but his trying to leave would enrage Miss Heard.

"She would apologise with poetic excuses as if the violence just proved how fierce and overwhelming her love for him."

She told the jury they would hear from Depp's security team that they would often have to remove Heard while she was screaming at him.

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"When Mr Depp and Miss Heard traveled together - his team had to book an extra room for him so he had somewhere to go when Miss Heard became enraged."

She said the former couple's marriage counsellor described Heard as the aggressor in the relationship and that people close to Depp had encouraged him to get a post-nuptial agreement.

How to get help

If you're in danger now:

• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.

• Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you.

• Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else.

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• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.

Where to go for help or more information:

•

Women's Refuge:

Crisis line - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 (available 24/7)

•

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Shine:

Helpline - 0508 744 633 (available 24/7)

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It's Not Ok:

Family violence information line - 0800 456 450

•

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Shakti:

Specialist services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and children. Crisis line - 0800 742 584 (available 24/7)

•

Ministry of Justice:

For information on family violence

•

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Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga:

National Network of Family Violence Services

•

White Ribbon:

Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women

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