By BEN FINLEY
Attorneys for actor Amber Heard sought to undermine Johnny Depp’s libel lawsuit in opposition to her Thursday by spending hours in courtroom centered on the actor’s consuming, drug use and texts he despatched to mates — together with one about eager to kill and defile his then-wife.
Heard’s attorneys referenced Depp’s historical past of trashing resort rooms and his smashing a WC sconce throughout an argument with Heard. Depp can also be going through a lawsuit filed by a member of a movie crew who alleges he was assaulted in 2018.
The attorneys try to derail Depp’s libel lawsuit in opposition to Heard that alleges that she falsely portrayed him as a home abuser and ruined his profitable appearing profession. They argue that Depp did certainly abuse Heard, each bodily and sexually, and declare that Depp can’t deny it as a result of he was typically drunk and excessive on medication to the purpose of blacking out.
“I, in fact, pounded and displayed ugly colours to Amber on a latest journey,” Depp mentioned in a textual content message to a pal, the actor Paul Bettany, in July 2013, which was proven to jurors.
“I'm an insane individual and never so honest headed after an excessive amount of of the drink,” Depp continued. “Weed, tablets … High quality!!! Booze??? My capability is simply too massive and I gained’t cease … Ugly and unhappy … Oh, how I adore it.”
Heard lawyer J. Benjamin Rottenborn additionally centered on one other change that yr between Depp and Bettany by which Depp wrote: “Let’s burn Amber!!!”
Bettany responded: “Having thought it by way of I don’t assume we must always burn Amber.”
Depp texted: “Let’s drown her earlier than we burn her!!! I'll (expletive) her burnt corpse afterwards to verify she’s useless.”
Depp has beforehand apologized to the jury for the vulgar language within the texts and mentioned that “within the warmth of the ache I used to be feeling, I went to darkish locations.”
Rottenborn additionally confirmed the jury certainly one of Depp’s texts to Bettany in 2014 by which he referenced whiskey, tablets and cocaine.
The texts have been despatched throughout a interval by which Depp mentioned he had stopped consuming. And so they have been despatched across the time of a non-public flight from Boston to Los Angeles, throughout which Heard had mentioned that Depp grew to become blackout intoxicated and assaulted her.
Rottenborn offered texts that Depp despatched to Bettany that mentioned he drank “all night time earlier than I picked Amber as much as fly to LA this previous Sunday … Ugly, mate … No meals for days … Powders … Half a bottle of Whiskey, a thousand pink bull and vodkas, tablets, 2 bottles of Champers on aircraft …”
Depp had beforehand testified that he took two oxycodone tablets — an opiate to which he admits he was addicted on the time — and locked himself within the aircraft toilet and fell asleep to keep away from her badgering. He additionally disputes that he was drunk on the flight, saying he drank solely a glass of Champagne as he boarded the aircraft.
However Rottenborn additionally confirmed the jury Depp’s expressions of contrition following the flight.
“As soon as once more I discover myself in a spot of disgrace and remorse,” Depp wrote to Heard. “In fact, I'm sorry. I actually don’t know why, or what occurred. However I'll by no means do it once more … My sickness by some means crept up and grabbed me … I need to get higher. And I'll. For us each. Beginning at this time. I really like you. Once more, I'm so sorry. So sorry.”
To additional convey doubt to Depp’s declare that he was not a problematic drinker at the moment, Heard’s legal professional then confirmed the jurors a textual content that Depp had despatched to musician Patti Smith concerning a go to to New York Metropolis in 2014 by which he recounted combating with Heard, getting drunk and being “so disillusioned in myself.”
Depp has been on the stand in Fairfax County Circuit Courtroom since Tuesday afternoon. The actor has spent a lot of that point describing the couple’s unstable relationship and denying that he ever abused Heard.
Depp mentioned that Heard typically violently attacked him. And he argued that his film profession suffered after she wrote a 2018 op-ed piece in The Washington Put up, which prompted his libel lawsuit in opposition to Heard.
Heard by no means talked about Depp by title within the article, however Depp’s attorneys mentioned it was a transparent reference to accusations Heard made when she sought a 2016 restraining order in opposition to him.
Depp mentioned the accusations and the article contributed to an unfairly ruined fame that made him a Hollywood outcast and value him his position within the profitable “Pirates of the Caribbean” film franchise.
When cross-examination started late Wednesday afternoon, Rottenborn pointed to proof that Disney made that call months earlier than the article’s publication.
Heard’s attorneys have argued that Heard’s opinion piece was correct and didn't defame him. They've mentioned that Depp’s ruined fame was because of his personal dangerous conduct.
On the stand Tuesday, Depp referred to as the accusations of drug dependancy “grossly embellished,” although he acknowledged taking many medication. He mentioned his drug use began at age 11 when when he secretly took his mom’s “nerve tablets.”