All your anti-Heard arguments can be used against Depp — Responding to the Heard/Depp verdict.
On June 1, 2022, 5 male and 2 female jurors determined that Amber Heard had defamed Johnny Depp in claiming that Depp abused her.
This comes after Depp had lost his first defamation lawsuit in 2020, when a judge determined claims of him being a wife-beater to be “substantially true.” Depp attempted to appeal this verdict twice, and lost both times. If we include the judge who ruled in favor of Heard’s restraining order against him, Depp has now had 4 judges that have ruled him to be an abuser. Depp has 1 victory out of 5.
Trials can have different verdicts for a number of reasons, including the competence of the legal teams, or the people determining the outcome of the case. Juries especially are malleable, made of regular people just like you or I and do not have any particular expertise. In other words, two different juries can have different verdicts for the same case, depending on the beliefs and understandings specific to them.
To reduce the likeliness of outside biases, high profile cases will sometimes sequester the jury, meaning to isolate them so that cannot be influenced by anything outside of the court. In the Heard/Depp case, the jury was not sequestered, went home for the long weekend, and could have been exposed to the same online influences as anyone else.
If you have been following this case, you probably know that the majority of information posted online about it has been in support of Johnny Depp. And the difference in size of the fan bases was evident before the case began too; Depp is one of the most popular movie icons in the world, while Heard‘s name was relatively unknown. In my research for this article, these differences reflected the amount of info I was able to gather in support of each side, where finding anything substantial in Heard’s favor on Google/social media required me to already know audio or text quotations word for word. With Depp, it was the opposite. Even a general query in favor of Depp’s position would return a seemingly never-ending record of results. One side’s story wasn’t being told.
For that reason I have taken the most common arguments that I see being used to discredit Amber Heard and argue that these same arguments can be used to discredit Depp, sometimes exclusively so.
A. Amber Heard has admitted to initiating violence.
B. Amber Heard has admitted to violence, even if she did not admit to initiating it.
C. There are witnesses of Heard being violent.
D. Amber Heard does not deny being violent when accused of it in recordings.
E. Amber Heard has a history of domestic violence.
F. Amber Heard shamed Depp for walking away from arguments, which is a form of abuse.
G. Amber Heard’s story has been inconsistent.
H. If Amber Heard was being physically abused, why didn’t she document it and/or take more pictures?
I. Amber Heard’s photographs are edited.
J. Why doesn’t Amber Heard have medical reports?
K. Amber Heard had more power in the relationship.
L. A victim of domestic violence wouldn’t disparage and taunt their abuser to their face if they were afraid of them.
M. A victim of domestic abuse wouldn’t be constantly angry and destructive while their abuser is calm.
N. A victim of domestic violence would not be smirking in court and not taking it seriously.
O. A victim of domestic violence would not pull a defecation prank on their abuser.
P. A victim of domestic violence would never give their abuser a knife.
This should not be the only article you read on the subject. There are additional arguments against Amber Heard I haven’t covered here, and so while I have responded to some of the more outlandish claims against her, there is more information beyond the scope of this article.
I have also done my best to give a fair representation to Depp in each category, but if you feel like I have gotten anything wrong, or that I have left out something that would significantly alter someone’s view of the case, please let me know. This is meant to be a living, breathing document, and I will update it as I get feedback.
The purpose of this article is not to prove who is in the wrong or the right. It is to challenge the public nature of the case, the meme-ifcation of trauma, the tabloid journalism that emphasized gotcha moments over complexity, and reduced human lives into a neatly packaged hero/villain narrative. It is to show that Depp has not been held to the same standards that Heard has, and to share a side of the story that has been mostly ignored online.
A. Amber Heard has admitted to initiating violence.
In an audio recording played in court, Heard admits to purposefully hitting Johnny and that she started a physical fight. She says:
[31:05 mark]
HEARD: I didn’t punch you, by the way. I’m sorry that I didn’t hit you across the face in a proper slap. But I was hitting you. It was not punching you. Babe, you’re not punched.HEARD: You didn’t get punched. You got hit. I’m sorry I hit you like this. But I did not punch you. I did not fucking deck you.
DEPP: You can’t deck me.
HEARD: I fucking was hitting you. I don’t know what the full motion of my actual hand was. But you’re fine. I did not hurt you. I did not punch you. I was hitting you.
DEPP: How are your toes?DEPP: You start physical fights.
HEARD: I did start a physical fight.
DEPP: Yeah, you did. So I had to get the fuck out of there.
HEARD: Yes, you did. So you did the right thing. The big thing. You know what? You’re admirable.
Later in the audio, we get a another commonly clipped line from Heard that is actually from the same recording. It seems to refer to the same incident as well, as it is the only physical incident Heard blames herself for in this audio:
[1:29:33 mark]
HEARD: I can’t promise I won’t get physical again. God, I sometimes get so mad, I lose it.
Both of these clips are commonly cited as the strongest pieces of evidence against Amber due to how matter-of-fact the abuse admissions are. And based on how often it is shared, it is likely that a lot of people’s feelings on this case were strongly influenced after hearing this audio recording.
But Johnny also mentions “How are your toes?” in the above audio. What’s that about?
Well, there’s a second audio tape from this event that is almost never shared where Depp admits that he (accidentally) hit Heard first.
DEPP: “I tried to close the door 3 times, please, please, and wait, and then I accidentally, I swear, when I was trying to close the door, I guess it scrapped your toes. I didn’t mean to do that. I bent down, and you either pushed or you kicked, I think you kicked the door open. I mean, [inaudible], more open so that it would hit me. And it hit me…
HEARD: “No, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know that was…”
DEPP: “Wait, wait, it hit me in the fucking head.”
HEARD: “But I did not mean to do that. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
DEPP: “I was bent down behind the door.”
HEARD: “I did not kick or push the door so it would hit you. I did not, I swear. That was not my intention. I think I remember when the door scrapped my toes, I reacted, but this whole, the door thing, I never did that. That wasn’t on purpose. I might have done it on accident.”
DEPP: “Okay, so let’s say that was an accident. I then stood up. I don’t even know if I said… I might have said, “What the fuck.” Because I’ve just been hit in the head with the fucking corner of the door.
HEARD: “I’m so sorry. I did not… I’m sorry about that.”
DEPP: “And then I stood up and then you fucking clocked me.”
HEARD: “I remember hitting you as a response to the door thing. And I’m really sorry about hitting you with the door, hitting your head, I did not mean to…”
DEPP: “You didn’t mean to hit me in the head with the door, but you meant to punch me in the jaw?”
HEARD: “I meant to hit you. I did not do this thing with the door. I did mean to hit you.”
DEPP: “So that you didn’t mean?”
HEARD: “The door? No, God, no. I didn’t…”
DEPP: “But punching you in the jaw you did mean?”
HEARD: “Okay, I’m sorry I hit you. I did mean to hit you. But it was in response. I just reacted in response to my foot. I just reacted. And I’m sorry. It’s below me.”
DEPP: “Your foot? That is why you punched me?”
HEARD: “Yeah. But I’m sorry.”
The audio gives evidence that Depp, not Heard, was the first to physically harm the other in this fight, whether intentional or not, and that Heard was responding to physical harm, not initiating it.
I received a lot of responses to this section, as to whether or not Heard was justified in striking someone who harmed her by accident. I would caution here that conversations like these are typically easier to have when you are on the outside looking in. Amber did not have this luxury, and with imperfect information had only seconds to evaluate what happened to her and how to respond.
Slamming the door on someone who is in the middle of a doorway has such a high risk of harm attached to it that Amber could have felt, as many people would, that taking this action meant Depp either intended to physically hurt her, or didn’t care if he did.
But after talking with him, Heard seems to trust Depp when he swears he didn’t mean to harm her. She instead blames herself for being physical, apologizing 6 times, 3 times for accidentally kicking the door into him, and then 3 more times for hitting him, even after maintaining that it was in response to being hit first. Johnny acknowledges that he had accidentally hit her first with the door but does not apologize for it.
Self-blame does not necessarily prove fault however, as it is common in abuse cases for victims to find ways to rationalize what has been done to them. I have included an article that goes deeper into the subject below that is worth a read:
https://solaramentalhealth.com/understanding-self-blame/
Whatever your position is on whether Heard was justified in physically responding to Depp scrapping her toes, the existence of this second audio tape challenges the assumption that Heard was the initial aggressor in this fight. It also highlights why the meme-ification of trials can be so harmful, because by nature they will omit important information that can change the complexity of a case.
Speaking of, we are not close to done exploring this incident. Even with this second audio tape, there are additional pieces that need to be considered before it can be determined who is at fault. People could make the case for example, that Heard should not have been trying to get into the bathroom in the first place and that she deserved to have her toes scrapped. Heard claims she entered the bathroom to do a wellness check on Depp, while Depp claims she wouldn’t leave him alone and so he escaped to the bathroom. Being as this is a different argument used against Heard, I will go over it in section F.
B. Amber Heard has admitted to violence, even if she did not admit to initiating it.
Depp admits to headbutting Heard:
DEPP: “I headbutted you in the fucking forehead. That doesn’t break your nose.”
He now claims this was an accident, but in the recorded audio there is nothing said about it being accidental.
In recorded audio, Depp also acknowledges that there has been violence on both sides.
[1:05:01 Mark]
DEPP: “I just couldn’t take the idea of more physicality, more physical abuse on each other. Because had it continued, it would have gotten fucking bad. And baby, I told you this once, and I am scared to death of it. We are a fucking crime scene waiting to happen if we don’t get our shit together.”
Heard openly admits to being violent on trial. However, she has never in any audio recording, text, or on trial, as far as I have found, admitted to hitting Johnny Depp for any other reason other than for self defense or by accident.
C. There are witnesses of Heard being violent.
In a text message to Amber, Depp’s assistant, Stephen Deuters, confirms that Johnny Depp kicked Amber Heard while they were on a plane, calling the act disgusting. He then claims that Johnny cried over it.
https://www.elle.com.au/celebrity/pictures-of-amber-heard-abuse-4651
Depp sends Amber a text apologizing, minutes later.
Because Depp does not clarify what he did in his apology, I included this under the “witness to violence” category rather than the “admission to violence” category.
That said, the timing of the text messages is evidence that Depp and his assistant are talking about the same incident here.
Whitney Henriquez (Amber Heard’s sister) and Travis McGivern (a member of Depp’s security team) both were witnesses to a particular incident of violence, but both have different claims as to who started it:
Whitney Henriquez claims that she was struck by Johnny Depp, at which point Amber Heard struck Depp in her defense. Depp would then attack Amber Heard back.
“I’m at the top of the stairs with my back to the stairs, and that’s when Johnny runs up the stairs. I’m facing Amber, he comes up behind me, strikes me in the back. I hear Amber shout, ‘Don’t hit my f — -ing sister!’ She smacks him, lands one. At that point, that’s when [Depp’s security guard] Travis [McGivern] runs up the stairs, after Amber landed one.”
“But by that time,” she continued, “Johnny had already grabbed Amber by the hair with one hand and was whacking her repeatedly in the face with the other as I was standing there. Travis then pulls them apart.”
“There was an NDA on my kitchen table. … My understanding is it’s a contract to keep things private. To keep your mouth shut, essentially. I was asked to sign one. I don’t believe I signed it. I left sometime after.”
https://news.yahoo.com/amber-heards-sister-whitney-claims-152323394.html
Travis McGivern claims that he never saw Depp hit Heard or her sister, and only saw Heard hit Depp:
I stepped in between Miss Heard and Mr. Depp, telling Mr. Depp that we were leaving and it wasn’t up to him anymore.
At that point, in the corner of my eye, I saw a fist and an arm come across my right shoulder. I heard and saw a closed fist contact Mr. Depp on the left side of his face.McGivern testifies Heard was the person who hit Depp. After that, Depp had a “shiner” on his face. McGivern also notes he did not see Depp get physical with Heard at this time.
Travis McGivern also claims to have seen Amber throw a Red Bull can at Depp, and to push him, though no dates are given.
https://news.yahoo.com/amber-heards-sister-whitney-claims-152323394.html
There is a second witness of Heard being violent towards Depp. Johnny Depp’s bodyguard, Sean Bett, claims he saw Heard “throwing bottles, glasses and other objects at Mr Depp,” though no dates are given.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/johnny-depps-bodyguard-heard-chilling-22365136
There are no other witnesses to Heard being violent toward Depp or viceversa.
D. Amber Heard does not deny being violent when accused of it in recordings.
In the below audio recording, Heard talks about how Depp beat the shit out of her, to which Depp has no response. However, once Heard states that Depp said goodbye to her, he gets offended and loudly objects. It feels odd that he would find it necessary to respond to the second claim but not the first.
HEARD: I dumped you a week prior, after you beat the shit out of me. And then a week later, you show up at my doorstep, in my room, saying you want to say goodbye. Okay, say goodbye.”
DEPP [loudly]: Oh, I said it?
HEARD: Yes, you did say it. I’ll go to the text messages so that we’re clear on the tape.
DEPP: Yes, because you said it before to me.
HEARD: No doubt. But you didn’t say it to me?
DEPP: I made a huge mistake.
Here Amber talks about the injuries she sustained from Depp, and Depp has no objection:
HEARD: By the way, my family, my friends, everyone around me, saw all the bruises, broken blood vessel under my eye, the bruises on my head, the missing chunks of hair, the split lip, the black eyes, the swollen nose, all the shit, because you’re stronger.
Depp does not deny this. Instead, he brings up that she was also violent, which she doesn’t deny either.
DEPP: Maybe I should show them this or this from the mineral spirits can that you threw at my face.
Another tape of Amber saying Depp hit her. No denial from Depp.
https://ffxtrail.blob.core.windows.net/trail/Defendant%20Amber%20Laura%20Heard/4-25-2022/Def586B-CL20192911-042522.m4a
A tape of Amber telling Johnny to not put cigarettes out on her. Depp responds by calling her a “fatass.”
Heard openly admits to being violent on trial. However, she has never in any audio recording, text, or on trial, as far as I have found, admitted to hitting Johnny Depp for any other reason other than for self defense or by accident.
E. Amber Heard has a history of domestic violence.
While Johnny Depp doesn’t have a known history of domestic violence, he does have a history of reported violence in general.
The below testimony comes from Johnny’s ex lover, Ellen Barkin.
LAWYER: Has Mr. Depp ever acted in a way that was out of control with you?
BARKIN: Yes. Mr. Depp threw a wine bottle across the room, the hotel room, in one instance, in Las Vegas, when we were shooting Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
LAWYER: When he threw it, was it in your direction?
BARKIN: Yes.
LAWYER: Was there other people standing around you?
BARKIN: Yes.
LAWYER: So he threw it in your direction at a group of people?
BARKIN: Yes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEqN0J2MFH8
Johnny Depp Sued For Attacking Crew Member On Set of Notorious B.I.G. Film:
[Gregg] Brooks claims the incident occurred while working on a scene from the film with Depp in downtown L.A. in April of 2017. According to the lawsuit filed by Baker, Olson, LeCroy & Danielian, Depp attacked him and angrily screamed, “Who the f*** are you? You have no right to tell me what to do.”
Depp allegedly punched him twice in the rib cage. Brooks says that after he didn’t react, Depp screamed, “I will give you $100,000 to punch me in the face right now,” and that the actor reeked of alcohol.
https://www.okayplayer.com/news/johnny-depp-sued-physical-assault-biggie-movie.html
Depp was arrested and charged with assault and mischief on March 8, 1989, after getting into an altercation with a security guard at a hotel, a Vancouver police spokesperson told UPI at the time.
The spokesperson said police responded to a call about a noisy party at a hotel. When security asked a group of people to leave the hotel, a fight broke out and Depp was arrested and later charged with assaulting a security guard, the spokesperson said. The UPI report said that telephones in the lobby were also damaged in the incident.
Depp later pleaded guilty to an assault charge and got an absolute discharge, which means the charge was wiped from his record, the Los Angeles Times reported in September 1989.
New York City police were called to Depp’s room at the Mark Hotel in the early hours of September 13, 1994, after he allegedly trashed the room — causing more than $9,000 in damages, according to The New York Times.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Depp allegedly smashed glass lamps and tables and was charged with second-degree criminal mischief, a felony. Depp’s then-girlfriend, British model Kate Moss, was with him but not charged, the LA Times reported.
“I was angry,” Depp reportedly told the police after the arrest, according to the LA Times.
Depp was arrested for threatening behavior after he grabbed a wooden plank and threatened photographers trying to take a picture of him outside of the restaurant Mirabelle in London on January 31, 1999, BBC News reported at the time.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Depp was dining at the restaurant with his then-girlfriend Vanessa Paradis.
“Johnny Depp is a person who guards his privacy. He had asked photographers to abstain from photographing him. Unfortunately, they persisted and intentionally provoked him,” Depp’s publicist said in a statement, according to The Tribune.
The then-35-year-old actor was cautioned after spending four hours in police custody, according to BBC News. Cautioning is a process by which minor charges are dropped against a defendant who admits guilt.
https://www.insider.com/johnny-depp-and-amber-heards-arrest-history-2022-5#in-1999-depp-was-arrested-for-threatening-paparazzi-with-a-plank-of-wood-outside-of-a-london-restaurant-4
https://nypost.com/1999/02/01/cops-johnny-busted-for-depp-lorable-conduct/
Amber Heard, in contrast, has no known history of violence or of domestic abuse. There is one claim that Amber hit her ex, Tasya van Ree, but this claim did not even come from her ex. Tasya van Ree defends Heard, saying it never happened:
“In 2009, Amber was wrongfully accused for an incident that was misinterpreted and over-sensationalized by two individuals in a power position. I recount hints of misogynistic attitudes toward us which later appeared to be homophobic when they found out we were domestic partners and not just ‘friends.’ Charges were quickly dropped and she was released moments later,” the photographer tells Us.
“It’s disheartening that Amber’s integrity and story are being questioned yet again. Amber is a brilliant, honest and beautiful woman and I have the utmost respect for her. We shared 5 wonderful years together and remain close to this day.”
F. Amber Heard shamed Depp for walking away from arguments, which is a form of abuse:
After Amber Heard got away from Depp following being kicked by him (See Section C), Depp texts her:
“It is unfair for you to run away… But perhaps you’re right…”
The public response has been correct in saying that you should not shame your partner for walking away from an argument.
Heard shamed Depp for walking away from arguments as well, and to be fair, there are more documented examples of it than the other way around.
Heard testified that when Johnny left arguments unresolved, she was concerned that he would abuse drugs as a way to cope. She talks about him becoming a “Monster” when on these drugs, and how she worried about both of their safety. Audio recordings and text messages corroborate this testimony:
[6:10 mark]
HEARD: Have you changed lately? Yeah, you’ve changed.
DEPP: Your truth is really interesting too.
HEARD: Okay, yeah. Well, I’m the first person that’s noticed.
DEPP: All right, pour me a glass of wine so I can go downstairs.
HEARD: Your escape route. I see.
DEPP: Not escaping, I’ll be back in 15 minutes.
HEARD: Yeah, of course. 15 minutes. Just like last time.
DEPP: 15.
HEARD: Just like last time, when I had to pull you out of the bathroom. Well, I didn’t have to pull you out of the bathroom, but…
DEPP: The bathroom? What are you talking about?
HEARD: When you passed out naked in the bathroom in there.”
DEPP: Did you pull me out?
HEARD: I tried to.
DEPP: Really?
HEARD: Yeah.
DEPP: How? Did you get inside?
HEARD: I didn’t get inside.
DEPP: Well, then how did you try to pull me out?
HEARD: By pounding on the door and waking you up every 15 minutes, and then falling asleep next to the door and so I could hear you snoring, in case that you vomited, I could call EMS if you ever stopped snoring.
DEPP: Because you thought I was going to die?
HEARD: I thought you’d choke on your own vomit, which is very likely with you.
The audio serves as evidence that Johnny’s drug use following an argument was a concern to Amber, which might explain why she was afraid of what would happen if they left anything unresolved. And we learn from other messages that Depp passing out in the bathroom from drug abuse was a regular occurrence. In an unsent email to Depp in 2013, Heard writes:
“You live in a world full of enablers.
“You cut out and resent (whether you realise it or not) everyone who isn’t an enabler.
. . . .
“On the plane Nathan mentioned how many times he’s had to break into locked doors to wake you up, after passing out on the toilet. [emphasis added.]
“You would have embarrassed yourself countless times if someone would be honest enough with you to tell you. To show you.
“If someone filmed you while you were in this state you would be mortified.”
. . . .
“One of these times you cut yourself so badly that you needed stitches.
Heard felt that Depp’s drug use wasn’t just a danger to himself, either. In the unsent email, she references being physically harmed by him while on drugs:
“Many times you have hurt me. Physically and emotionally from the things you say and did while f***** up.
Depp’s transformation after drug abuse was often referred to him becoming a “Monster” by Heard, Depp, and others. Included below are text messages where Depp references either becoming or overcoming the “Monster” inside him:
It is away…
I have let it go…
Went too far …
We/I tend to do that…
I always regret it when I jump, or worse… When you jump!!!
I don’t want to be conditioned to continue that behaviour… Therefore, I’ll put in heavy work with Shrank…
I’m sorry for being less…
For your disappointment in me…
For my behaviour.
I’m a fucking savage…
Gotta lose that…
Gonna lose that!!!
The Devil is All Around, right…??
I wish I were able to bring even a glimmer of a smile to the pretty face of my most gorgeous of dreams and darkest nightmares…
I love you for too much for you and I to be these heinous slinging insults like we do/did…
It is not anything that I am particular proud of to have participated in… And, I regret giving it life…
Because…
Motherfucker…
How when we fight, little girl…?????
How do we end up on the very edge of the precipice…??
And, why??
Wish I knew.
Goddamn…
And… Know that YOU ARE RIGHT…!!!
I am, WELL AWARE that I SHOULD have been bigger than the moment… And, that it WILL NEVER again manifest in negative experiences… It can be done!!!
What a killer concept to visualise…
Wish you were in this Lunatic’s proximity…Be careful out there…
I adore you!!!!
“I have locked my monster child in a cage deep within and it has fuckin’ worked!!!! We’re goddam best friends now!!! Amazing!!!”
“All I had to do was send the monster away and lock him up!!! We’ve been happier than EVER!!!!
“I’m ready to shoot a motherfucker!!!! But don’t worry. The Monster is not involved!!!”
https://ffxtrail.blob.core.windows.net/trail/Defendant%20Amber%20Laura%20Heard/4-21-2022/Def435-CL20192911-042122.pdf
There are a lot more references to Johnny becoming the “Monster”, including from Johnny himself, from Heard, and from other witnesses, which I will document in time.
To summarize, Amber has expressed fears that unresolved conflict between her and Depp could be a catalyst for Depp to start abusing drugs, claiming that it has already happened before and that she feared for his life. We cannot verify whether Depp nearly died in the bathroom, but his inability to recall whether or not it did happen at least gives some weight to Heard’s concern, and adds complexity to this case.
It’s important to say here that the existence of the “Monster” doesn’t necessarily exonerate Amber. It is a common tactic for abusers to claim they are “protecting” or “looking out for the best interest” of their victim. So even if it is true that Depp becomes a “Monster” from drug abuse, it does not give Amber free reign to take control of Depp’s life.
Which brings us back to section A, finally, as it is often used as the quintessential example of Heard not letting Depp leave an argument. Depp claims he escaped to the bathroom because he was running from Heard’s abuse and Heard followed him in. Heard denies this, and claims that she entered the bathroom to do a wellness check after she heard the sound of a thud and glass breaking. While we can’t know the specific details that led to the incident, and anyone who claims to know is not being honest, we can say that Heard checking on Depp would be consistent with the fears she expressed of him abusing drugs in the bathroom in the audio and email messages outlined within this section.
G. Amber Heard’s story has been inconsistent:
Johnny changed his story about who chopped his finger off, initially claiming he did it himself, and then later claiming that Amber did it. People often will argue that Depp did this to protect Amber, but then dismiss when Amber says the same thing about protecting Depp.
In a private audio conversation with Amber:
DEPP: I’m talking about Australia, the day I chopped my finger off.
https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetwork/status/1517226888544071680?s=20&t=iaMwCl-GvHmxlYKvZuBqAQ
In a text to Dr. Kipper:
“I cut the top of my middle finger off.”
In another text message:
“The first time I had just chopped my finger off…”
In another text message:
“I have chopped off my left middle finger as a reminder I should never cut off my finger again.”
There is no evidence that Heard threw the wine bottle at Depp or that she is the cause of his finger being cut off.
H. If Amber Heard was being physically abused, why didn’t she document it and/or take more pictures?
Content warning: Graphic photos.
Here are the pictures that Depp submitted as evidence of him being abused. They show a bruise under his left eye:
https://ffxtrail.blob.core.windows.net/trail/Plaintiff%20John%20C.%20Depp,%20II/4-18-2022/Plt65-CL20192911-041822.pdf (I don’t see anything in these pictures, but maybe others can help identify the markings.)
There are also pictures of Johnny’s sliced finger, which I will include separately below due to their graphic nature. Warning: These are very graphic.
I will also re-iterate that Depp blamed himself for this cut, and that if you believe his initial story, you would say that these pictures were not taken with the purpose of documenting abuse.
Below are the pictures that Heard submitted as evidence of being abused by Depp. They include pictures of her black eyes, swelling of her nose, swelling of her forehead, chunks of hair missing from her head, bleeding of her lip, bruises on her arm, cuts on her arm, bruises on her leg. You can see her pictures below.
https://ffxtrail.blob.core.windows.net/trail/Defendant%20Amber%20Laura%20Heard/5-18-2022/Def1493F-CL20192911-051822.pdf
https://ffxtrail.blob.core.windows.net/trail/Defendant%20Amber%20Laura%20Heard/4-25-2022/Def376C-CL20192911-042522.pdf (Cuts on her arm)
I. Amber Heard’s photographs are edited.
Content warning: Photos of alleged bruises, not hidden behind links.
A photo that Depp submitted to evidence from when he was on the Eastern & Oriental Express has two different versions of it. The clearer version, in which the bruise under his eye doesn’t appear to be visible, was posted on the official Eastern & Oriental Express Facebook page in 2015.
https://www.facebook.com/easternorientalexpress/photos/a.297750676964294/872017759537580/?type=3
You can compare it to the photo Depp’s team submitted to evidence:
https://ffxtrail.blob.core.windows.net/trail/Plaintiff%20John%20C.%20Depp,%20II/4-28-2022/Plt162-CL20192911-042822.pdf
Heard’s team also submitted 4 additional photos showing a marking under Depp’s same eye from before the alleged abuse occurred:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10857285/Johnny-Depp-grilled-pic-showing-mark-eye-day-Amber-Heard-punched-him.html
Depp claims this is not a bruise on his face, and that side light created the sunken look.
Depp protested that a ‘side light’ would create such an effect. Rottenborn pointed out the photos — showing Depp holding a baby — were not taken from the side. Depp claims: ‘Light on the side will cause (eye) bone to appear sunken’
I have provided a comparison shot of all three images below. I have cropped them to make them fit, but you can see the uncropped versions at the links I gave above:
For Amber, there are two different versions of the below photo. The bruise is visible in both but the photos have different saturation levels. A forensic expert confirms that a software with editing capabilities was used for saving the photos but he could not confirm what/if any edits were made. Heard states she did not edit the photo.
My take Is that it is likely that Heard did adjust the saturation of the above photo but also that she does not remember doing so. And the reason this is likely is that both versions of the photo were submitted as evidence, which would be odd to do if she remembered that one was the edited version of the other.
But this edit is not really that significant, as the only difference between the two is saturation. Unlike the two Depp photos, the bruise is clearly visible in both versions.
J. Why doesn’t Amber Heard have medical reports?
I wasn’t able to find any evidence that Depp saw a doctor for anything other than the finger incident, which Depp at the time said (to his doctor and to everyone else, including Amber) he did to himself.
Amber Heard reported her injuries to her private nurse Erin Falati.
The court heard from Erin Falati, also known as Erin Boerum, the former nurse of Amber Heard who appeared by video deposition.
Another note from December 17, 2015 revealed Falati’s observations about Heard at her Los Angeles penthouse following a fight with Depp.
The notes state that she ‘had visible bright red blood appearing at center of lower lip’ and that it was ‘actively bleeding.’
The medical notes stated: ‘Heard stated it was from injury sustained in an argument between her and her husband.
‘States her head is bruised and she has lost clumps of hair in the altercation.’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10779269/Judge-DENIES-Amber-Heards-attempt-throw-case.html
She acknowledges in the report finding an injury to Heard’s lip following the confrontation. However, Felati testified that she did not recall seeing other injuries to Heard, and where she uses the word “states” in the medical report, it means it is from a self report from Amber. However, she does not rule out that Heard had other injuries, and in another conversation, she recommends that Heard gets a full assessment done.
13:30 EB to AH
I just finished watching your appearance last night. I had recorded it. You looked and sounded great, and honestly nothing looked wrong at all
AH to EB
that’s a miracle
AH to EB
Hey I have had a headache basically for the last couple of days and I’ve been taking Advil nonstop… my head is still really bruised. I still feel a lot of welts on it. I called Kipper’s office and Lisa said he was away until tomorrow but that Monroe could look at me. Do you think I should go and get checked out by him?
EB to AH
I think if you are still hurting at this point then it wouldn’t hurt to get a full check up/assessment. Monroe is really good guy [sic] and very smart nurse practitioner.
Are the headaches picking you up [sic] when you’re sleeping?
https://time.graphics/period/1894576
Heard followed through with a second report, seeing Monroe Tinker two days after the incident. The medical report didn’t find any injuries. However, the medical report also states that she is a “well nourished male”, which makes the accuracy of the report questionable. The exchange about this report that happened in the trial is quite comical, and I imagine it would have been widely memed and shared if it had happened to Depp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_UbE7-k5lg
In addition, Heard reported her abuse to Dr. Laurel Anderson, Dr. David Kipper, Nurse Debbie Loyd, Dr. Amy Banks, Dr. Connell Cowan, and Dr. Bonnie Jacobs, but Depp objected that the testimonies and exhibits were hearsay, and the court sustained the objection.
https://twitter.com/Ego_death18/status/1529264015331012608
K. Amber Heard had more power in the relationship.
Depp is bigger and stronger than Heard, had much more money than her, he was older than her, had a much larger fan base than her, many more networks than her, and according to his legal team, was responsible for getting Amber her largest role in Hollywood. (Heard denies this.) From the outside looking in, it appears that it would be harder for her to leave him than the other way around.
But I would caution about even making that assumption, as there are a lot of variables we don’t have access to or knowledge of, and survivors have their own reasons for staying that are more complex than I could possibly assess here.
L. A victim of domestic violence wouldn’t disparage and taunt their abuser to their face if they were afraid of them.
Amber asks Depp not to record her without telling her:
HEARD: Please stop.
DEPP: Fucking acknowledge what I’m saying before you keep making demands. You are not a school teacher. Shut the fuck up. Listen to me, and then you can fucking respond. Understand? You aint nobody’s fucking mom. You aint no school teacher. Don’t fucking pretend to be authoritative with me. You don’t exist.
HEARD: Okay, fine. Leave it on.
DEPP: I don’t fucking care. You shut up.
DEPP: This is not helping, you stupid fuck.
DEPP: I wish you fucking understood what you are, and who are you, and how you fucked me over and make me feel sick of myself. There’s still a lot left in the day, maybe you should dye your hair [inaudible] roots.
DEPP: You’re a cunt and I fucking hate you.
There are a lot more examples of this, and I will add more later.
M. A victim of domestic abuse wouldn’t be constantly angry and destructive while their abuser is calm:
In the below video recording, Depp yells, smashing glasses and breaks the cabinet. Depp claims this occurred after his mother died, but TMZ says they were told it was shot 3 months before that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsBN_7vUP0U
https://www.tmz.com/2022/04/21/johnny-depp-video-kitchen-rampage-amber-heard-shown-court-trial/
See Section F for Johnny admitting to becoming a different person (a “monster”) when under the influence of drugs.
In addition to acting more aggressive when under the influence, Johnny tends to come across a lot worse when he is not knowingly being recorded by Amber.
In a private text:
“Let’s burn Amber!”
“Let’s drown her before we burn her!!! I will fuck her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she is dead…”
“that filthy whore, Amber.”
https://nypost.com/2022/05/25/johnny-depp-promised-a-global-humiliation-for-amber-heard/
“I will bring some cash over to pay and tip the bitch!!!”
“Yeah, sloppy slut.”
“Fucking ugly fat whore”
“Bring the cash and the whore!!!”
“For the idiot cow!!!!”
“Will do!!!! I’ll smack the ugly cunt around before I let her in, don’t worry…
“Did the worthless hooker arrive???”
“Molly’s pussy is rightfully RIGHTFULLY MINE!!!! Should I not just bust in and remove its hinges tonight???”
“I want to change her understanding of what it is like to be thrashed about like a pleading Mackrel… I NEED. I WANT. I TAKE.”
https://www.insider.com/johnny-depp-accused-amber-heard-lawyer-messing-with-text-evidence-2022-5
Depp claims he does not remember writing this text, but it came from his phone in 2017, after Heard and Depp had already separated, and it follows his writing style. The use of ellipses, the excessive exclamation points, the triple question mark, the caps lock, comparing women to fish (see text from the image posted above), etc.
N. A victim of domestic violence would not be smirking in court and not taking it seriously.
Four minutes of Johnny Depp laughing within the court room:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhXIPb4fEKc
Depp making jokes in court:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzIpdEYUtn8
Note the comments to the above videos and how different they are from when Heard laughs or smirks about anything in the court room:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLTOoKDyulc
O. A victim of domestic violence would not pull a defecation prank on their abuser:
Texts from Johnny show he was planning to pull a defecation prank on Heard and to blame it on her dogs.
Will you squat in front of the door of the master bedroom and leave a giant coil of dookie so that Amber steps in it and thinks that one of the dogs, primarily Boo, has a major problem…It’ll be funny!!!
https://time.graphics/event/5472544
The existence of these texts means that there is greater evidence that Johnny has pulled a defecation prank on Amber at some point in their relationship than the other way around.
There are no texts or audio from Heard that show she planned or ever carried out a defecation prank on Johnny Depp.
P. A victim of domestic violence would never give their abuser a knife.
Johnny Depp gives Amber Heard a knife, and tells her to cut him. When she refuses, he threatens to cut himself if she doesn’t.
— -
As this is a living, breathing document, I will be adding more information over time. Please send me anything I have missed.
Thank you!
