The Unbelievable Moments from Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s Defamation Trial

The extraordinary courtroom tale that captivated the world for weeks came to an end with a judgment in favor of Johnny Depp in his trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. Over the course of the Fairfax, Virginia trial, shocking details about the couple’s tumultuous relationship came to light, including pictures of Depp’s amputated finger and shots of him dozing off after alleged drug binges. Here are some of the stranger, craziest, and most unbelievable moments from this roundup lawsuit:

The Mystery Poop

After an altercation on her birthday in 2016, Depp accused Heard of pooping in their shared bed in one of the trial’s strangest moments. A picture of the alleged incident was circulated in court, which led to a Saturday Night Live parody and the #Amberturd hashtag. Heard claimed that the couple’s Yorkshire terrier, Boo, who had bowel control issues, was the guilty party and denied taking a dump in the bed. Heard continued to say that the dog had bowel control issues due to the fact that it ate Depp’s weed when it was a puppy. 

Depp’s Pass-Out Pictures

Photos of Depp passed out after many alleged drug binges, including on the floor of an upscale hotel room, were made public. Heard claimed during her testimony that she started tracking Depp’s alcohol and drug use since no one thought he had a problem. She stated, “There was no one to back me up. Just his employees and everyone who backed him up against me. So I started to take pictures.” The jury saw many pictures Heard had taken of Depp dozing off in various settings, including curled up on the ground in Tokyo in 2013 during his press tour for “The Lone Ranger.”

Sexual Assault with a Bottle

Heard sobbed as she recounted Depp allegedly putting an alcohol bottle inside her during a confrontation in Australia in March 2015 and threatening to “carve up” her face with it.
She sighed and fought back tears as she said, “I didn’t know if the bottle he had inside me was broken.” Furthermore, she added that she couldn’t feel anything. Heard stated that the unsettling episode happened in the same altercation where Depp claimed a vodka bottle was thrown at him by Heard, causing him to lose a finger.

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I Object – To Myself!

Adam Nadelhaft, one of the defamation attorneys, became the punchline of this roundup lawsuit when he objected to his very own question, which had Judge Penney Azcarate call him out. Ben King, Depp’s house manager, was questioned by Nadelhaft, Heard’s lawyer, about a 2015 argument between Heard and Depp that left Depp’s finger severed. Nadelhaft asked King, “You didn’t know what could cause damage to Mr. Depp’s hand while you were there on March 8, correct?” King answered the question by stating that he found out about the injuries from a doctor when Nadelhaft responded with an objection. The judge was not impressed and fired back, stating that Nadelhaft was the one that asked the question. 

Depp “lost part of a finger” following a violent altercation with Heard while in Australia filming the fifth “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, according to Dr. David Kipper, a private addiction expert who provided specialized services and traveled with Depp. In a pre-recorded deposition heard in court, Kipper recalled the March 2015 event, saying that Depp texted him to say that his fingertip was severed. The house was a mess, and there seemed to be “blood on the wall,” according to Kipper, who said he went to check on Depp and found him to be “coherent.”

Ben King, Depp’s former house manager, testified in court that he discovered the actor’s missing fingertip in a bloody paper towel close to the bar. In the hopes that it could be fixed, he put it in ice and gave it to Kipper and Depp’s chief of security, Jerry Judge, to transport to the hospital. Before he discovered it on his own, King claimed that Kipper was rummaging in a bin in the kitchen in search of the missing finger.

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The 2014 Meta Gala

Heard told the jury that Depp punched her during a brawl after the 2014 Met Gala, breaking her nose. Additionally, Heard, who identifies as bisexual, claimed Depp accused her of flirting with another woman after they both attended the 2014 Met Gala. She claimed in her testimony that Depp grew violent after the event when the duo went back to the hotel. Amber testified, “He threw a bottle at me. It missed me, but it hit the chandelier. At some point, he just whacked me in the face. I was unsure what that feeling was, but I suspected I had a broken nose.” Later on, Heard found out that her nose was just bruised. 

The Final Verdict

Heard requested $100 million and immunity from Depp, while Depp sought $50 million in damages in this roundup lawsuit. On June 1, the jury found in Depp’s favor and mandated that Heard pay him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive penalties. Out of the three components she mentioned in her counterclaim, Heard was awarded one, and Depp was legally obliged to pay her $2 million. The couple’s friends, psychiatric specialists, surgeons, and the actors were among the witnesses who the defamation attorneys called over the course of six weeks of testimony. Testimony revealed violent arguments, drug usage, and abusive language between the couple, painting a compelling and unsettling picture of their failed marriage. If you find yourself in a similar situation, we recommend hiring experienced defamation attorneys for your case.