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Amber Heard takes the stand in the defamation trial – here's what she said

Amber Heard takes the stand in the defamation trial – here's what she said
Amber Heard testifies she was assaulted by Johnny Depp
Fox 11

On Wednesday, Amber Heard took to the stand to describe several incidents in which Johnny Depp was allegedly violent towards her.

The Aquaman actress described the early days of their relationship as "beautiful and strange" and declared how she had “fallen head over heels in love” with Depp.

Depp is suing Heard for libel over a 2018 article she wrote in The Washington Post, which his lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her while they were together.

Heard described multiple incidents in which the actor had allegedly been verbally and physically abusive towards her. Depp has consistently denied the allegation that he has been abusive.

Here is everything Heard has said so far:


Heard recalls the first time Depp got violent with her

Heard recalled the first time Depp had reportedly been violent towards her, slapping her across the face three times.

“(It was) seemingly so stupid and insignificant (but) I will never forget it, it changed my life,” Heard told the court.

“He slapped me across the face, and I laughed because I didn’t know what else to do.

“I thought this must be a joke… I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t want this to be the reality.”

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She continued: “I knew it was wrong, and I knew that I had to leave him, and that broke my heart because I didn’t want to leave him… the best thing that ever happened to me.

“I wish I could sit here and say I stood up and I walked out of that house, and I drew a line and I stood up for myself.

“I was just looking at the dirty carpet, trying to will myself to get up, to walk out of the door.”

Heard said Depp had then started crying and got on his knees to apologise and told her he had “put the monster away”.

“(He said) I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again, it’s done,” she said.

“I sat in my car, and I felt like I sat there forever… just trying to will myself to have the strength to know what I should do in this moment because I was heartbroken.”


Depp threatened to break a woman's wrist for leaning on Heard

Heard testified that she and Depp were having a "party in the desert" at a trailer park with some friends.

The actress said that "somebody brought MDMA", which prompted one woman to lean into her and put her “head on my shoulder”. Heard said she “took it to be the effects of the drug."

Depp allegedly became upset, which others believed to be a "joke."

“Hey man, do you think you’re touching my f***king girl,” Depp said, according to Heard.

She said Depp grabbed the woman’s arm and asked, “do you know how many pounds of pressure it takes to break a human wrist?”


Depp ripped Heard's underwear and did a "cavity search" for cocaine

Following the incident at a campsite party with friends, Heard said she took Depp back to the trailer to calm him down.

She said he began "screaming" at her and "smashing" the trailer.

“It became clear he was looking for something,” Heard said, asking her, "where are you hiding it?” Though, she said she was unaware of what he was referring to.

She said he started “patting me down”.

“He rips my dress ... he’s grabbing my breasts, he’s touching my thighs, he rips my underwear off,” Heard said from the stand.

“He then proceeds to do a cavity search,” she added. “He said he was looking for his drugs, his cocaine.”

She said he “shoved his fingers inside me”, adding that she “didn’t know what to do ... I just stood there."

“He twisted his fingers around,” she graphically added.


Depp howled like an animal while holding a dog out of a car window

Heard alleged that Depp dangled one of her pets out of a moving car while he howled like an animal.

Heard said the incident happened in March 2013 following Depp's cocaine and liquor-fuelled rampage throughout the night, repeatedly accusing her of cheating.

"He grabs this teacup Yorkie and holds Boo out of the window of the moving car, and he's howling like an animal while holding the dog out the window," Heard testified. "And everyone in the car — I'll never forget it — everyone just froze. No one did anything."


Heard left Depp's private island with his daughter following 'death threat'

Heard told the court that she left Depp's island with his daughter Lily-Rose after telling her he "could kill her."

The actress said she had accompanied Depp and his children to the Bahamas in July 2013 for a final trip on his yacht before selling it to Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

She said that Depp tried to hide his drinking habits from his children and hid alcohol in coffee cups. Soon after, Lily-Rose allegedly became suspicious.

“Lily-Rose was crying, it became like a panic attack with rapid breathing, crying and lots of questions. I was holding her and comforting her and within a few seconds, I realised that he had shifted his attention on me and seemed very angry.

“He asked Lily-Rose to leave, she left crying and Johnny starts accusing me of, like, telling on him and calling him a drunk in front of his kids. I hadn’t done that and had actually tried to protect Johnny, it was not my place to share that with anyone, especially his daughter.”

Heard said the actor slammed her up against the wall by her neck, telling her that "he could f***ing kill me” and that she was "embarrassing".

“He said I made him feel sick. I will never forget it. I was very much in love with his whole family and he was saying I was embarrassing to him, that stuck more with me than ‘I could f***ing kill you.’ He hurt my feelings, it hurt.”

Heard then says she returned to the island with Lily-Rose and left on a helicopter.

“I was literally holding Lily-Rose under my arm and she was crying as we were taking off,” she testified. “I felt bad about leaving, even though that had just happened.”

The case continues and is expected to last around six weeks.

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