Wait begins for decision in Johnny Depp’s “wife beater” libel suit

London — Actor Johnny Depp’s libel trial will end this week following disturbing accusations between him and his former wife, actress Amber Heard.

Over Monday and Tuesday (July 27 and 28), the High Court is set to finalise the testimony in the 57-year-old’s lawsuit against The Sun newspaper over a 2018 article accusing him of being a “wife beater”.

The judge, Mr Justice Nicol, will spend time to pore over the ruling and this leaves the case in a cliff hanger as to when his decision will be made.

The accusations include violence, celebrity affairs, threesomes, loss of US$750 million (S$1.03 billion), drug-taking by dogs and Depp’s young daughter as well as poop attacks.

The names allegedly involved in these acts included Elon Musk, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Franco, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Costner, Liam Hemsworth and Billy-Bob Thornton.

Depp named these stars as the ones that his ex-wife cheated with.

The actor was the one who first took the stand when the case opened on July 7 to deny 14 allegations of domestic violence used by The Sun’s legal team to justify its “wife beater” claim.

Depp’s legal team accused Heard, 34, of faking photos of bruises. He also called her allegations “pedestrian fiction” — accusing his “sociopathic” ex of the violence and trying to set him up in a “choreographed hoax”.

The actress then claimed that Depp tried to murder her many times and that the actor would blame his actions on a “self-created third party” he called “the monster”. Heard told the court that there would be a “three-day hostage situation” during which Depp started picking up empty booze bottles and “throwing them like grenades” at her.

Depp then severed a fingertip and he used the blood to scrawl messages about his wife in mirrors at their rented place in Australia. He, however, blamed her for the injury, which left him with MRSA.

Depp and Heard met during auditions for 2011’s The Rum Diary. Before their marriage in February 2015, they were having fights on his private island in the Bahamas. During their honeymoon on an Eastern & Oriental Express train ride across South-east Asia, they had a “terrible fight” after which Heard woke up with his shirt wrapped around her neck.

Depp dismissed allegations that he ever struck his ex or any woman but conceded that their heads may have once clashed when he tried to stop her from attacking him.

Heard confessed that she did punch him but only to stop him from pushing her sister down some stairs like she heard he once did to supermodel ex Kate Moss.

Depp, referring to drug addiction, professed himself as a “poor old junkie” going through detox. The actor admitted giving his daughter Lily-Rose pot when she was 13.

Amber Heard has accused Johnny Depp of violence. Picture: Instagram

The most disgusting moment came when the court was shown pictures of poop that was left on Depp’s bed after a fight following Heard’s 30th birthday. Although Heard denied it was her, it was the final straw for Depp and he decided to leave her.

Depp was also accused of trying to write Heard’s name in urine during one attack.

However, his former partners Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis gave glowing testimonials in witness statements saying that he had  never been violent throughout their combined 18 years with him.

“I think the legal action has backfired in many ways,” said celebrity journalist Sandro Monetti. “Win or lose the case, I think Johnny is damaged in his career. And I don’t think Amber Heard has come out of it smelling of roses either.” /TISG