Corona virus epidemic, Ukraine war, inflation, rising prices, abortion rights debates. None of these issues occupying the American agenda attracts as much attention as a lawsuit that has been raging since April in Fairfax, just outside the capital, Washington. This case is a $ 50 million defamation lawsuit filed by Amber Heard, the ex-wife of the famous actor Johnny Depp. The case, which has been broadcast live for weeks, is watched like a reality show, so to speak. As for who is right, the public and social media are divided.
Those who came in line during the night, those who waited for a limited number of special wristbands to be distributed in order to be in the audience, those who shouted slogans and screamed…
Nancy Mowery says, “My daughter brought me here from Pennsylvania. I’ve been waiting in line since 7 o’clock last night. Now I’ve got my wristband, I’m going to have a quick bite to eat, then I’ll go into the living room.”
All this, not for a concert or a match, but to be able to attend the session of a case that has been going on for weeks.
This courthouse in Fairfax County, 30 kilometers from the American capital Washington, is experiencing one of the busiest periods in its history. The defamation lawsuit filed by the famous actor Johnny Depp against the actor and his ex-wife Amber Heard is seen here.
The case does not stay behind closed doors, either. It is broadcast live on Court TV, that is, the court channel on television, via two cameras in the hall, and it breaks viewership records.
“This man tried to kill me. Of course it was scary, and that man was my wife,” said Amber Heard.
Johnny Depp said, “I’ve never been violent. Violence is unnecessary. Why would I hit someone to agree with me? It won’t work.”
The reason for Depp’s filing a defamation lawsuit is actually hidden in the first sentence of an article that Amber Heard wrote for the Washington Post in 2018. “Two years ago, I became a social figure representing domestic abuse,” Heard wrote.
Heard would not name Depp. However, two years ago, in the events she described, she had a temporary ban decision taken against her husband Depp, alleging domestic violence. People magazine made the headlines at that time with the headline of the details of ‘toxic marriage’.
Depp argues that the article in the Washington Post has damaged his reputation and put his acting career in jeopardy. He wants $50 million. In his $100 million counterclaim, Heard argues that Depp defamed him by calling him a liar.
However, another statement by Heard in the same article was also noteworthy. “I felt the full force of our culture’s anger at the women who raised their voices,” she said.
Social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube are remarkable in this sense.
Depp’s millions of fans have worked to portray Heard as a troubled and evil woman trying to undermine her ex-wife’s career. The views of messages related to labels such as “justice for johnny Depp”, “liar amberheard” exceeded billions.
Johnny Depp Fan Brittany Hamscher said, “I think I’m falling more in love with Johnny Depp with the different clips and videos everyone is making on TikTok. I mean, he seems to have a great sense of humor. And of course it’s very attractive,” she says.
However, Depp lost his libel suit in 2020, which he filed against the Sun newspaper in the UK, due to an article that allegedly “beats his wife” published in 2018. The High Court in London concluded that Sun’s report had proven to be “substantially true”.
Although it was not possible to meet Amber Heard fans in front of the court in Fairfax, there were also those who did not support Johnny Depp.
Amber Heard supporter Dan said, “Amber Heard is a survivor of domestic violence. This is a case of defamation and defamation, but I think the biggest question to ask is whether Johnnie ever committed domestic violence against Amber Heard anywhere at any time? Absolutely. I think so. “There is enough evidence, I think there are enough witnesses. Other than that, everything we see on social media is an embarrassment to the American justice system. Instead of focusing on victims of domestic violence, we look at clicks and opinions on social media.”
Both parties claim that they were abused by the other during their marriage. Allegations, messages, photographs, audio recordings, and images made against each other throughout the case reveal that the ex-spouses wear out each other.
Amber Heard said, “I want to move on with my life. I have a baby. I want to go my own way. I want Johnny to return to his own life, I want him to leave me alone.”
However, no matter how the case turns out, experts are of the opinion that what happened in the whole process will not leave Johnny Depp or Amber Heard behind with the influence of social media.
Attorney Steven Heffer said, “Celebrities should avoid such lawsuits because it is often better to just make a public statement and not take any action. Because if you take action, you’ll keep the allegations in the public eye for much longer than you normally would. Claims are in the news every day. “The fans are involved in a lot of social media activities, as in this case, none of which help the careers of the actors.”