Ripped my underwear off, did cavity search: Heard on Depp
What's the story
Amber Heard on Wednesday testified in the defamation case filed by her ex-husband, actor Johnny Depp. It's the first time she has taken the witness stand in the high-profile case. A tearful Heard maintained that Depp abused her repeatedly throughout their volatile relationship and he allegedly went to the extent of ripping "my underwear off" to do "a cavity search" to find "his cocaine."
Context
Why does this story matter?
The celebrity pair got divorced in 2016 after a short-lived marriage. Things got murkier when Heard wrote an op-ed piece for Washington Post in 2018 detailing her experience of sexual violence and the effects of speaking against it. Although Depp wasn't mentioned in the article, he filed a $50M defamation suit against Heard in 2019. In 2020, the latter filed a $100M counter-suit.
Details
How did Heard start?
Recounting that she and Depp shared a "flirtatious friendship" on the sets of The Rum Diary (2011), Heard said their relationship took flight during the press promotions of their film. She felt "like there was an electricity" when she met her former co-actor in his hotel room before promotions began. They "fell in love" as time passed, an emotional Heard highlighted in her testimony.
Information
Heard gifted a knife to Depp. Here's why
Heard addressed the claim of her gifting a knife to Depp that had the words "until death" embossed as the trial progressed. "Johnny had a thing for turquoise and he loved knives...I picked up a beautiful turquoise handled knife with a saying Johnny would say all the time - 'until death'," the 36-year-old said. All was well until 2012, when things started going downhill.
Trial
The first major crack
Heard said Depp vanished "for days" that time only to return and make demeaning comments about her. She still stayed in the relationship because after the actor apologized, she "would feel so loved." Their relationship developed the first major crack over Depp's Wino tattoo because that's when he hit Heard for the first time. "I will never forget it-it changed my life," she emphasized.
About
Depp 'had a jar of cocaine'
Heard said that they were sitting on a couch and Depp "was using cocaine, he had a jar of cocaine." She asked about the tattoo that looked like "black marks" to her and he replied, "Wino." Heard started laughing and "he slapped me across the face..." He hit her again and she reportedly lost balance and fell on the carpet. Depp profusely apologized.
Court battle
Trigger warning: Hints of sexual and mental abuse
The Wino tattoo was of Depp's former girlfriend, actor Winona Ryder. But, Depp said that that fight "didn't happen." Further, the actor said Depp was emotionally and physically torturous throughout 2012 and that she was "walking on eggshells." The cycle of abuse continued to the extent that Depp once ripped "my underwear off" and did "a cavity search" to find "his drugs, his cocaine."
On flight
Another violent episode
Heard recollected another violent episode that happened on June 26, 2013. They were snorting MDMA aboard a flight to Russia when Depp asked the flight attendant to do some. After a while, the latter became friendly with Heard, which infuriated Depp. After reaching their hotel, Depp allegedly "whacked" her in the face and shoved her into a glass table, resulting in a bloody nose.
Other side
This is what Depp said
Meanwhile, Depp has maintained that he "never struck Ms Heard in that way" and neither were her claims true. "She has a need for conflict...she has a need for violence," Depp alleged in his testimony, adding, "It could begin with a slap. It could begin with throwing a TV remote at my head. It could be throwing a glass of wine in my face."
Going forward
Heard might address Depp's finger injury claims
Earlier, Depp had said Heard threw two vodka bottles at him in 2015, injuring his finger. He had lied to the doctor because Depp "didn't want to get her in trouble." Heard, meanwhile, maintains that he injured himself "by "slamming a hard plastic phone against the wall." She might address this going forward. The case, taking place in Virginia, has entered its fourth week.