Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines 5/16
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Amber Heard released a statement claiming "the truth" is not on ex-husband Johnny Depp's side ahead of her third day of cross examinations following a week-long hiatus from the defamation trial that began in Fairfax, Virginia on April 11.
"There's an old saying by trial lawyers: When the facts are on your side, argue the facts; when the facts are not on your side, pound away on the podium. Today, we expect Depp's attorneys will instead pound away on the victim," her representatives said via PEOPLE magazine.
"We fear it will be equal parts shameful and desperate. And, the overwhelming evidence — the truth — is not on Depp's side. The one thing we suspect Depp's attorneys will avoid is the central issue of this trial: Does Amber or any woman have the First Amendment Right of Freedom of Speech."
Amber Heard during cross-examinations in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 16, 2022. (Steve Helber)
JOHNNY DEPP V. AMBER HEARD DEFAMATION TRIAL LIVE UPDATES
He fired back in a statement released through his representatives: "As Mr. Depp's counsel correctly predicted in their opening statements last month, Ms. Heard did indeed deliver 'the performance of her life' in her direct examination."
The release continued: "While Ms. Heard's stories have continued to grow new and convenient details, Mr. Depp's recollections have remained exactly the same throughout the six painful years since her first allegations were made. His truth — the truth — is the same no matter the environment in which it is has been presented. The upcoming cross-examination from Mr. Depp's team will be most telling, and will certainly highlight the many fallacies Ms. Heard has now attempted to pass off as fact throughout her convoluted testimony."
Depp, 58, is suing the 36-year-old actress for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post alleging she was the victim of domestic abuse, but did not name Depp. He claimed the allegations crippled his career and made him a pariah in Hollywood.
Heard counter sued for $100 million and accused the Pirates of the Caribbean star and his former attorney of conspiring to "destroy and defame" her.
‘SNL’ GOES FULL BATHROOM HUMOR WITH DEPP-HEARD TRIAL FECES IN THE BED ALLEGATION
Her team quickly responded: "As evidenced by the statement just released, Mr. Depp's defamation claim is falling apart so rapidly that his counsel are turning from prosecutor to persecutor. They boast that Mr. Depp's story has not changed. If so, since he lost the domestic violence restraining order and he resoundingly lost the libel case in the U.K., perhaps he should consider a new strategy rather than the recycled approach of attacking the victim, and refusing to take responsibility for his own conduct."
Actor Amber Heard testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., May 16, 2022. (Steve Helber/Pool via REUTERS)
It continued: "If Mr. Depp was truly innocent, why has he repeatedly apologized to Ms. Heard and promised to put the ‘monster away for good'? One of Ms. Heard's disappointments is Mr. Depp's inability to distinguish fact from fiction — a malady which appears to have spread to his legal team.
"That same team is so panicked they are fighting tooth and nail to prevent compelling evidence and photos from being introduced. Small wonder Mr. Depp does not have the fortitude or courage to even look at Ms. Heard at all throughout the proceedings — as he could not in the U.K. trial — and instead he doodles and snickers."
Her team appeared to be responding to the drawings Depp created of a woman, which he passed along to his lawyer, Benjamin Chew, who seemed to give the seal of approval in videos that have since gone viral.
Throughout the trial, jurors have heard shocking testimony, including an infamous defecation incident in the couple's marital bed to allegations Heard severed Depp's fingertip during a vicious brawl.
Depp's business manager, Ed White, told the jury of six men and three women Depp paid over $14 million in their divorce settlement after Heard’s financial demands "continually increased" during negotiations.
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The talks started at $4 million and eventually grew to the sizable figure, with $6.8 million paid to Heard, $500,000 to her lawyers and about $7,250,000 to the couple's "community liabilities."
During her initial testimony, Heard described an alleged sexual assault that took place over the course of a three-day fight between the couple in Australia in 2015.
Depp's team has vehemently denied he ever sexually assaulted Heard.
A spokesperson for Depp said in a statement Heard "did indeed deliver the performance of her life in her direct examination."
"While Ms. Heard’s stories have continued to grow new and convenient details, Mr. Depp's recollections have remained exactly the same throughout the six painful years since her first allegations were made," the spokesperson said. "His truth — the truth — is the same no matter the environment in which it is has been presented.
Depp's team has vehemently denied he ever sexually assaulted Heard. Johnny Depp And Amber Heard at "The Rum Diary" premiere at The Odeon Kensington, London in November 2011 (John Phillips/UK Press)
"The upcoming cross-examination from Mr. Depp’s team will be most telling and will certainly highlight the many fallacies Ms. Heard has now attempted to pass off as fact throughout her convoluted testimony."
The couple's former doorman, Alejandro Romero, testified via video that he often saw Elon Musk at least "a few times a week" at Depp’s penthouse in 2015. The SpaceX founder "always visited when Mr. Depp was not at home," Romero added under oath.
Sitting in a parked car and puffing on a vape pen during the deposition, Romero admitted he was sick of the Depp-Heard saga.
"I’m tired. I don’t want to deal with this court case anymore. Everybody’s got problems," Romero said before driving off in his vehicle as the attorney questioning had drawn to a close.
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Last month, during Depp’s direct testimony, he recounted the infamous defecation incident that has been the talk of social media.
After a blowup on Heard's 30th birthday in 2016, Depp said he retreated to their Los Angeles home.
He planned to return to pick up a few items while Heard was at Coachella, but his security warned him against it and showed him a photograph of their bed.
"On my side of the bed was human fecal matter," Depp said. "I laughed. It was so outside, it was so bizarre and so grotesque that I could only laugh."
Depp has previously accused Heard or one of her friends of defecating in the bed. But Heard has denied it, blaming the feces on her teacup Yorkies.
"I lived with those dogs for many years," Depp said. "That did not come from a dog. It just didn't."
Fox News' Julius Young contributed to this report.
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