The judge presiding over Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard on Tuesday dismissed a motion to quash filed by the actress’ lawyers.
After three weeks of litigation in court in Fairfax, near Washington, the lawyers for the 36-year-old actress asked judge Penney Azcarate to dismiss the complaint, finding that Johnny Depp did not provide evidence of defamation. .
“The court should grant this motion to quash because of the compelling evidence that he was, in fact, the one who assaulted Amber.”explained the lawyer of the actress, Ben Rottenborn.
Johnny Depp’s lawyer, Benjamin Chew, for his part asked the judge to dismiss the request saying that Amber Heard “is the aggressor in this courtroom”.
This request, common in the American legal system, is rarely granted.
Judge Azcarate considered that there were enough elements to continue the trial and leave the seven jurors the power to decide the outcome of the complaint.
Amber Heard’s testimony awaited
Johnny Depp, 58, says his ex-wife ruined his reputation and career after he wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post in 2018 in which she described herself as a victim of domestic abuse without quoting her ex-husband. He is seeking $50 million in damages.
The actor, who testified for four days, denies having ever raised a hand on his ex-wife, assuring that it was she who was violent.
Amber Heard has counterattacked and is claiming $100 million, claiming to have suffered “physical violence and assault” before and during their tumultuous marriage which lasted only two years, from 2015 to 2017.
She is expected to testify this week.
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