WARNING: This live blog contains allegations of physical and sexual violence that some readers may find distressing.
Amber Heard’s legal team has rested their defence case in the defamation trial brought against her by ex-husband Johnny Depp. Testimony from rebuttal witnesses for Depp is underway, with the actor himself returning to the stand.
Heard is being sued by Depp for $50m for implying he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Although she didn’t name him, he claims her allegations impacted his ability to work. She is pursuing a counterclaim of $100m, of which a motion to dismiss was denied by Judge Penney Azcarate.
Supermodel and Depp-ex Kate Moss testified that during her relationship with the actor in the 1990s he did not push her down the stairs as had been rumoured and mentioned by Heard in testimony.
Rebuttal witnesses countered the testimony of experts put forward in Heard’s defence concerning her alleged loss of earnings and the mental health of both her and Depp. The court heard differing accounts of alleged violent incidents and a former friend of Heard’s sister said she believed it was “something very wrong” to support claims against Depp.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday.
Source: Independent
