By Mona Austin
(The Slice): In the fourth day of testimony in Depp v. Heard, actor Johnny Depp testified that his ex-wife Amber Heard bullied him in rebuttal to claims that he sexually and physically abused her.
The libel and defamation case is taking place in a Fairfax, VA court matriculating from allegations that an opinion piece Heard published in the Washington Post hplied that Depp abused her. She never mentioned his name in the 2018 essay she had wirtten in support of the Violence Agsinst Women Act. However, Depp's attorneys argued that it was implied that he was the abuser since it was well known that she accused him of abuse in 2016.
"I've never struck Ms. Heard. I've never struck a woman in my life," Depp insisted.
His team is countering with a mental and emotional abuse defense.
With his hair pulled back in a ponytail, dressed in a gray suit, Depp, 58 described a life of endless misery, which begged the question, "Why did you stay?"
EXPLOSIVE RECORIDING
LISTEN: LEAKED AUDIO OF DEPP AND HEARD ARGUING
ABOUT A FIGHT
When asked he provided a reponse that painted a picture of mental anguish that was brought on by excessive alchohol and drug use between the two of them.
"It's one of those situations where your arms are too short to box with God," he explained
while expounding further into their ruinous relationship. Heard had a need for conflict and violence and he handled it by retreating like he did as a child. "I stayed, I suppose because my father stayed. I didn't want to fail. I thought I could help her."
Ms. Heard, like his mother, had spoken of comitting suicide, which was also a factor that caused him to remain in the dysfunctional union. His mother had physically abused his father.
Opening up to her about his childhood trauma was used as "ammunition" against him, he said, likening Heard, 35 to his abusive mother.
At times the verbal abuse would get out of control to the point he would lock himself away. He was the first to start recording their arguments when they overheated. Last week, Heard had detailed a tumultuous relationship that alleged he pulled her hair and banged her head. A psychiatrist who had treated both of them testified that there was mutual abuse.
AMBER HEARD PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED SHE STRUCK DEPP IN THEIR MARRAIGE
The signs that their 18-month-long marraige was harmful showed up early. Depp almost lost a fiinger. In an audio leak to the Daily Mail, the Aquaman star admits to hitting her mate but makes a distinction between hits, punches and slaps. Althouh he denies ever touching her, there is a contradiction in his testimony found on the tape that was provided to web site a by "well placed source."
Depp is heard trying to get Heard to recognize the serious nature of their fights after she consistenetly tried to downplay her actions: "I left last night. Honestly, I swear to you because I just couldn't take the idea of more physicality, more physical abuse on each other.
Because had we continued it, it would have gotten f**king bad. And baby, I told you this once. I'm scared to death we are a f**king crime scene right now if we don't get our sh*t together. . .'
In the erecording Depp does ot elaborate on the depth of his actions. Clearly statin there was physical abuse "on each other" seems to indicate that he fought back.
Sitting silently in a butter yellow suit, Heard 35, appeared to have a frown transfixed on her face the entire time he spoke (as seen on the spilt screen.) She took notes while her ex-husband repeatedly described her as the aggressor.
An objection came when he tried to explain what he beleived it meant when the defendant called him a "monster." The objection was sustained and the questions was redirected askin him what he beleived the term meant from his perspective. He admitted that the word was used in association with his dealings with substance abuse. He said he was "inspired" to use drugs as a numbing agent to survive.
"I had to have something to distance me and distance my heart from those verbal attacks. " Placation became a coping mechanism that helped him escape from her "clutches" he revealed.
The testimony meandered into him openin up about the affects of drug addiction to oxycodone, his experience with etting clean and the famous fight from Boston to LA (in which he said he slept on the bathroom floor of the plane). He shared that at one point his ex-wife asked him to stop drinking to save the marraige and he did. "I was sober for around 18 months." Heard, according to his testimony, never stopped drinking, denying she had a problem. She used MDMA (AKA Exstacy), mushrooms and Speed he said.
Depp admitted to doing "a line or two" of cocaine with Heard's sister, Whitney, but said he was not a "maniac" who needed drugs.
"The characterization of my 'substance abuse' that’s been delivered by Ms. Heard is grossly embellished," he added, saying that his struggle with addiction was an easy target for her to hit.
Is Johnny Depp a victim blamer or a man coming out of hiding from being abused himself? The Hollywood veteran has appealed to the jurors sympathies, but did he adeqautely handle the burden of proof?
We will learn more about the violence in their marriae upon cross examination.
Wel already know that Ms. Heard has a temper and has gottne physial with Depp by her own admission in 2020.
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