Heard talks of death threats, wants Depp to ‘leave me alone’
Amber Heard said she wants ex-husband Johnny Depp to “leave me alone” and described feeling “humiliated” throughout their defamation trial as she returned to the witness stand Thursday for a final day of testimony.
The actress, who claims Depp abused her, told the seven-person jury at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Virginia that she relives trauma from their relationship “every single day,” and said it’s been “agonizing” dealing with the public attention surrounding their trial.
“I receive hundreds of death threats regularly, if not daily,” a visibly emotional Heard said. “Thousands since this trial has started. People mocking my testimony about being assaulted. It’s been agonizing. Agonizing, painful and the most humiliating thing I’ve ever had to go through. I hope no one ever has to go through something like this.
“I just want Johnny to leave me alone,” Heard said. “I just want him to leave me alone.”
Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed published by the Washington Post in which Heard called herself a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Depp isn’t named in the op-ed, but Heard previously accused the actor of abuse, which he denies.
Heard filed a $100 million counterclaim over comments made by Depp attorney Adam Waldman that painted her abuse accusations as a hoax.
Heard’s lawyers called her back to the stand on Thursday as a rebuttal witness to discuss the counterclaim, with the actress describing how she believes she’s suffered publicly from Waldman’s remarks.
“I am harassed, humiliated, threatened every single day,” Heard said. “Even just walking into this courtroom, sitting here in front of the world, having the worst parts of my life, things that I’ve lived through, used to humiliate me. People want to kill me and they tell me so every day. People want to put my baby in the microwave and they tell me that.”
Heard previously testified for four days this month, claiming Depp repeatedly abused her during their relationship while accusing him of “lying” during the trial. She told the jury she never assaulted Depp.
Depp testified for four days last month before returning to the stand Wednesday and claiming Heard’s allegations are “all false.” He contends he never struck Heard, and has testified she was physically violent toward him.
Heard and Depp married in 2015 after meeting on the set of “The Rum Diary.” Heard filed for divorce in 2016 and was granted a temporary restraining order.
The defamation trial is currently in its sixth week, with closing arguments expected to take place Friday.