'Death threats' and 'humiliation' bring Depp-Heard trial to close

Closing arguments due tomorrow before the case is handed to the jury

US actor Amber Heard testifies on May 26, 2022. EPA

Heard with her legal team. EPA

Heard testifies on the final day. EPA

Heard talks with her attorney Ben Rottenborn. AFP

A photograph appears on a monitor as evidence. AFP

Actor Johnny Depp leaves for the day during the Depp vs Heard deformation trial in Fairfax, Virginia. AFP

Heard leaves for the final day of the Depp vs Heard deformation trial at Fairfax County Court in Fairfax, Virginia. AFP

Depp has left the building. AFP

Heard hugged her attorney Elaine Bredehoft after she testified one last time. EPA

Depp waves to his courtroom fans. AFP

Depp returns from a break and stands for the jury. AFP

US actor Johnny Depp gestures as he departs the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia. AFP

Julian Ackerts, a computer forensic investigator, testified that Heard did not alter any of her images entered into evidence. AP

Depp stares at the jurors. Reuters

Celebrity therapist Beechy Colclough has been seen with Depp throughout most of the trial. Mr Colclough lost his license to practise therapy after a patient complaint was filed. AFP

Fans cheer as US actor Johnny Depp arrives at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia. AFP

A weeping Amber Heard said on Thursday that she had received death threats all throughout the "painful" defamation trial brought by her former husband, actor Johnny Depp.

"I am harassed, humiliated, threatened every single day," the Aquaman star said on the final day of witness testimony in the sometimes excruciating trial, which is in its sixth and final week.

"I receive hundreds of death threats regularly, if not daily, thousands since this trial has started, people mocking my testimony about being assaulted."

A mutual friend said that Johnny Depp and his wife Amber Heard were very in love yet often 'vicious' towards one another.

Johnny Depp leaves court after jury selection in his $50 million defamation lawsuit against former wife Heard. EPA

US actress Amber Heard leaves the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia on April 11. AFP

Depp filed a defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, after she wrote an opinion piece in 'The Washington Post' in 2018 that, without naming him, accused him of domestic abuse. Reuters

Jury selection began on April 11 in the defamation case involving allegations of spousal abuse between Depp and Heard. AFP

Depp fan David Laman holds a poster outside the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse as jury selection progressed. Reuters

Tiffany Lunn, a supporter of Depp, outside the court in Fairfax, Virginia. AP

Johnny Depp fans at the courthouse. AP

The defamation case brought by Depp against former wife Heard is expected to last between five and six week. Reuters

Depp leaves the High Court in London, England, on July 22, 2020, during the libel case there. Reuters

Heard arrives at the High Court in London. Reuters

Depp and Heard at the 72nd Venice Film Festival in northern Italy, 2015. Reuters

Depp filed the $50 million suit against Heard after she wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post in which she called herself “a public figure representing domestic abuse”, although she never named him.

In spite of losing a similar case in the UK, where it is significantly easier to win defamation cases, he chose to file a second case against her.

The trial is being held in Fairfax, Virginia, even though both stars live in Los Angeles, California.

Depp claims he filed there because it is the home base to the newspaper but chose not to sue the publisher, which he did in his former losing effort.

He may have thought he would get an advantage there because of the weaknesses in Virginia’s anti-SLAPP law, which is supposed to protect free speech.

SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation and 32 states and the District of Columbia have laws against them.

Using the law, Depp’s lawyers made a motion to have Heard’s $100m counter-claim against the actor tossed out.

Johnny Depp's former friend Bruce Witkin testified that the actor tried to get sober while filming 'The Lone Ranger', but never really seemed that serious about it.

Amber Heard listens as Depp's former lawyer Adam Waldman appears on a monitor. AP

Musicians Tommy Henriksen, Witkin, Depp, Duff McKagan, Joe Perry, Alice Cooper and Matt Sorum of the Hollywood Vampires backstage at The 58th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California. Getty

Perry, Depp, Witkin, Robert DeLeo, Henriksen and Cooper of the Hollywood Vampires install a hearing aid on a patient of the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Getty / Starkey Hearing Foundation

Heard speaks to a member of her legal team. EPA

Judge Penney Azcarate speaks to lawyers during the $50m Depp-Heard defamation trial. EPA

Depp speaks to a member of his legal team on Thursday. EPA

Heard's lawyers prepare to present evidence on Thursday. EPA

Judge Penney Azcarate speaks to lawyers. EPA

A mystery gray-haired man has been lurking behind Depp during his defamation trial. EPA

Depp leaves for lunch. EPA

Heard returns to court from a break. EPA

Depp has often been seen carrying a sketch book in the courtroom. AFP

Depp's former talent agent Tracey Jacobs represented the actor for 30 years. AFP

Jacobs giving a recorded testimony. AFP

Spectators in the courtroom watch as Jacobs testifies. EPA

Depp talks to his lawyer Ben Chew. EPA

Heard in the courtroom on Thursday. EPA

Ms Azcarate has been patient throughout the entire proceedings. EPA

Heard listens to members of her legal team. AP

Heard speaks with a member of her legal team. AP

Heard speaks with a member of her legal team as Witkin testifies. AP

Depp talks to his lawyer as Witkin testifies. AP

Depp is suing former wife Heard for libel. AFP

Social media forensic expert Ron Schnell testifies in the trial. AFP

Depp at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia on Thursday. EPA

Depp returns to court from a break. AP

Heard and her lawyer watch a recorded deposition by Depp's former lawyer Adam Waldman. Reuters

Depp appears in court after a break. AP

The counter-suit claims his then-lawyer, Adam Waldman, defamed the actress when he called her abuse allegations “a hoax”.

Judge Penney Azcarate rejected the motion.

Defence witnesses supported Heard’s claims that she has been the target of a years-long hateful social media campaign by millions of fans of the Ed Wood star.

"I just want Johnny to leave me alone,” Heard said for the second time since the trial began.

Earlier in his testimony, Depp admitted to writing in a 2016 text that Heard was "begging for total global humiliation" and "she's gonna get it”.

He said it was written in anger when he learnt she was alleging that he physically abused her.

James Franco and Amber Heard at the premiere of 'The Adderall Diaries' at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. Heard said her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, 'hated' Franco. Photo: FilmMagic

Heard said that being cast with Franco caused her ex-husband to become violent. Reuters

Depp with his friend, rock singer Marilyn Manson in 2001 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Manson was dropped by his record label after his ex-fiance, actress Evan Rachel Wood, accused him of sexual and other physical abuse. AP

Heard dated Elon Musk after her divorce from Depp. AFP

Heard said that she met Musk and his mother, supermodel Maye Musk, at the Met Gala in New York in 2015. AFP

Actress Winona Ryder began dating Depp when she was only 17 years old. Depp once had a tattoo that read: Winona Forever. New World Pictures / Getty Images

Moss and then-boyfriend Johnny Depp at the premier of 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' in 1998. EPA

Heard said that actor Paul Bettany witnessed her ex-husband passed out while working together. Sarah Dea / The National

Heard said that she thought Depp might 'accidentally' kill her. AP

Heard said that she has lost work because of Depp's lawsuit. Reuters

Heard said that she only wanted to go on with her life and wished that Depp would, too. Getty Images

Aaron Eckhart and Heard star in 'The Rum Diary', an adaptation of the book by Hunter S Thompson. She met Depp on set. Photo: FilmDistrict

Heard, seen here at the Met Gala, said that Depp was supposed to attend with her and failed to show up. Reuters

Heard filed a restraining order against Depp and then for divorce. EPA

Depp also texted his friend, actor Paul Bettany, “Let’s burn Amber!!!”

Bettany wrote back: "I'm not sure we should burn Amber. She is delightful company and pleasing on the eye.

"We could, of course, do the English course of action and perform a drowning test. Thoughts? You have a swimming pool."

Depp replied: "Let's drown her before we burn her!"

Then Bettany replied: "My thoughts entirely! Lets be certain before we pronounce her a witch."

Bettany was not called by Heard’s attorneys although the text exchange was read in court.

A parade of the couple's mutual friends testified that Depp could be "loving and generous" but that he could also become "a monster" when intoxicated or under the influence.

Model Kate Moss, a former girlfriend of actor Johnny Depp, is sworn in to testify via video link during Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. EPA

"Alcohol would bring out a very ugly side of him”, which Depp acknowledged, and though he said it was “exhausting” to get sober, he had vowed to do so for Heard, testified iO Tillet Wright, a friend of the couple.

“But he resented it — he didn’t want to be,” Wright said.

The only friend to come out for Depp was supermodel Kate Moss, who dated Depp in the 1990s.

Speaking for less than two minutes, Moss dispelled accusations that Depp pushed her down a staircase while on holiday at Jamaica's Golden Eye resort.

"It was raining and I slipped," Moss said by video link.

In his final plea to the jury, Depp said it had been "unimaginably brutal" to listen to the "heinous" and "outlandish" accusations that he could ever be violent.

"No human being is perfect, certainly not, none of us, but I have never in my life committed sexual battery, physical abuse," he said.

Depp said he brought legal action because he needed to address "what I've been carrying on my back, reluctantly, for six years."

The trial began on April 11, with closing arguments scheduled for tomorrow, May 27.

Depp arrives at the Fairfax County Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia. Getty Images / AFP

Depp gives evidence in the courtroom on Wednesday. AP

Depp reacts as he gives evidence in the courtroom. AFP

Depp on a smoke break in Fairfax, Virginia. Getty Images / AFP

Depp and his support team take a break. Getty Images / AFP

Depp and his team take a break during the trial at the Fairfax County Courthouse. Getty Images / AFP

Depp waves to a fan during a break in Fairfax, Virginia. Getty Images / AFP

Depp leaves the courtroom at the end of day. AFP

Heard speaks to her legal team as she leaves the courtroom for a break. AP

Heard listens to her ex-husband giving evidence. AFP

Celebrity therapist Beechy Colclough lost his license to practise after a patient's complaint. Getty Images / AFP

Depp listens as his former girlfriend Kate Moss gives evidence via video link. AFP

Judge Penney Azcarate speaks with lawyers in a sidebar. AFP

Heard and her lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, listen to Depp's evidence. EPA

Whitney Henriquez, Heard's sister, sits in the courtroom. AP

Heard appears in court as ex-husband Depp's defamation case against her continues. EPA

Depp reacts while clinical and forensic psychologist Dr Shannon Curry gives evidence. Reuters

Depp in the courtroom. EPA