Depp recording warns of ‘bloodbath’ if arguments escalate
FAIRFAX, VA. » Jurors hearing testimony in Johnny Depp’s libel lawsuit against his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, on Monday listened to audio recordings in which he referred to the violence that could ensue if their arguments were allowed to escalate.
“The next move, if I don’t walk away ... it’s going to be a bloodbath, like it was on the island,” Depp says on the recording.
In other audio clips, Depp loudly shouts vulgarities at his wife, calling her a degrading name and yelling, “You stupid f—-” at her.
Depp winced on the stand as the clips were played, while Heard appeared to fight back tears.
Depp is suing Heard for libel over a 2018 op-ed piece she wrote in The Washington Post. She refers to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”
The clips were part of a grueling cross-examination of Depp that concluded late Monday morning, as he took the stand for a fourth day of testimony over his allegations that Heard falsely portrayed him as a domestic abuser.
Heard’s lawyers continued their onslaught of questions during their crossexamination. focusing on Depp’s drinking, drug use and charged interactions with Heard during their relationship.
During Monday’s testimony, Depp actually said very little, although on redirect he did seek to explain some of his coarse language and again denied that he cut off his own finger during a fight with Heard, even though he told people as much at the time. He now says the finger was severed when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him.
“Why would I start lopping off digits in my 50s?” he said, showing his right hand to the jury. “I can’t take responsibility for what I now call Little Richard, my chopped finger.”
Most of the questioning consisted of Heard’s lawyer playing audio clips or reading vulgar text messages sent by Depp and asking Depp if he’d read them correctly.
Throughout the cross-examination, Depp showed his displeasure with Rottenborn’s questions. When Rottenborn interrupted one response, Depp said, “I was talking.” When Rottenborn said he considered the question to be fully answered, Depp responded, “as long as you’re happy.”