Amid Johnny Depp and Amber Heard‘s dueling defamation lawsuits in which the actors argue, an audiotape was played for the jury Monday in which Heard seems to dismiss Depp’s accusations that she domestically abused him, saying in part, “see how many people believe or side with you.”
This occurred during Depp’s redirect testimony under questioning by his own lawyer following the conclusion of cross-examination by Heard’s team, which is being live-streamed on the Law & Crime YouTube Channel.
Pirates of the Caribbean actor Depp is suing Aquaman star Heard for $50 million for defamation for what he alleges are false claims of domestic abuse against him that have hurt his career. Heard is counter-suing, also for defamation, for $100 million.
The portion of the audio where Heard claims no one will believe Depp had previously been made public back in 2020.
“Amber, I lost a f**king finger, man, c’mon, ”Depp says, in an apparent reference to an incident in which he alleges Heard threw a vodka bottle at his hand, which ended up slicing his finger off. “I had a f**king jar of mineral spirits thrown at my nose,” he adds.
“You can please tell people that it was a fair fight and see what the jury and judge thinks. Tell the world, Johnny, tell them, Johnny Depp, I Johnny Depp, a man, I’m a victim, too, of domestic violence. And I, you know, it’s a fair fight. And see how many people believe or side with you,” Heard says.
In an earlier portion of that same audio excerpt, Depp appears to propose to Heard making a joint letter to curb Heard’s reputational damage.
Depp testifies that he doesn’t know exactly when the recording was made but that his best estimate was that it was some time after Heard’s initial 2016 abuse allegations became public.
In that same audio recording, Depp asks Heard, “Why did you put that out there?” in reference to the abuse allegations she made public.
In response, Heard says she was “forced” to, due to his team “going on the offense.”
In a separate audio recording presented earlier in Depp’s testimony, Depp tells Heard he didn’t want to be with her anymore, with Heard saying that he threw his ring on the floor. In the tape, a clanking sound could be heard.
The trial thus far has painted a sad portrait of a relationship that went on the rocks. While Heard maintains Depp abused her, Depp claims just the opposite: she abused him, and not the other way around. The couple’s former marriage counselor earlier testified she believed the pair engaged in “mutual abuse.” Heard’s lawyers have previously claimed Depp was the one who sliced off his own finger.
The 2018 Washington Post op-ed written by Heard, and Depp’s allegations that it damaged his career, are at the center of his lawsuit against his ex-wife. Depp is not named in the article, but he says he is implied to be the abuser in the piece — an allegation he denies. In previous testimony, Depp confirmed Heard made domestic abuse allegations against him as far back as 2016.
Heard herself is expected to take the stand and testify at some point during the trial unfolding in Fairfax, Virginia. Other famous names on the witness list slated to testify, either in person or via video link, include tech mogul Elon Musk and actors James Franco and Paul Bettany.