Johnny Depp returns to stand once again: ‘I did get here and I did tell the truth’ – National

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As the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial approaches its end, Depp’s ex-girlfriend Kate Moss took stand on Wednesday.

Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

Depp is seeking US$50 million in damages, while Heard is countersuing her former partner for US$100 million.

Moss, a 48-year-old former supermodel — who was romantically involved with Depp from 1994 to 1998 — told the court about an incident in which she fell down a flight of stairs and was saved by Depp.

In earlier testimony, Heard referred to Moss while she described a fight in which she admittedly punched Depp when she thought that he would push her sister down the stairs.

“Whitney’s back was to the staircase, and Johnny swings at her,” Heard said at the time. “I don’t hesitate, I don’t wait… I just, in my head, instantly think of Kate Moss and stairs. And I swung at him.”

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Johnny Depp’s severed finger could not be from thrown vodka bottle, surgeon testifies

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On Wednesday in very brief testimony, Moss said that she and Depp were in Jamaica during their relationship, and it had been raining. She then slipped down the wet stairs in their suite, she said, and Depp raced to help her up, carried her to her room and got her medical attention. She denied outright that Depp pushed her down the stairs and said he never did that at any point during their time together.

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Johnny Depp says Amber Heard transformed Kate Moss’ fall on staircase into ‘a very ugly incident’

The testimony contradicted Heard.

Following Moss, Dr. Shannon Curry returned to the stand to rebut the testimony of clinical psychologist Dr. Dawn Hughes, who said earlier in the trial that Curry presented inaccurate information about the mental state of Heard.

Curry shot back at Hughes, saying it was in fact her who drew the incorrect conclusions and test results about Heard. Curry claimed, through her test results, that Heard did not have and “never had PTSD” resulting from abuse at the hands of Depp.

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Kate Moss says Johnny Depp ‘never’ pushed her down any stairs

Heard’s lawyer reasserted that Dr. Hughes spent upwards of 29 hours with Heard and interviewed Heard’s mother, and had a fulsome, comprehensive understanding of the actor’s mental health.

After a brief morning recess, Depp returned to the stand to face further questioning. 

Depp denied Heard’s previous claim that he consumed between eight and ten MDMA pills on the night of the now-infamous altercation in Australia. 

Heard earlier told the jury that Depp forcefully penetrated her with a liquor bottle that night. Depp previously testified that he lost the tip of his finger that night, claiming that Heard threw a vodka bottle at him and it smashed on his hand.

Depp’s lawyer revisited the couple’s honeymoon – a July 2015 trip aboard the Orient Express. Heard previously told the court that Depp forcefully choked her while on the train trip.

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Johnny Depp testifies that Amber Heard ‘hit him,’ gave him a ‘shiner’ during honeymoon

Depp was shown photos from that trip, and he testified that he’d sustained a black eye after his ex-wife hit him.

Depp described his relationship with Heard’s sister, Whitney.

“I liked her very much and I grew to love Whitney…(she) always seemed to get the dirty end of the stick.”

Whitney, he explained, was a “trusted sister and friend, and then lackey, and then either the punching bag or the dart board or the recipient of very ugly or demeaning words.”

Depp said although he never saw Heard directly attack her sister, he did say he saw Heard physically push Whitney around and verbally abuse her.

He also testified that Heard threw wine in her sister’s face on one occasion.

Depp told the court that it’s been “insane” listening to Heard’s accusations against him.

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Johnny Depp says listening to Amber Heard’s testimony has been ‘insane’

“It’s insane to hear heinous accusations of violence, sexual violence, that’s she’s attributed to me. I don’t think anyone enjoys having to split themselves open and tell the truth. But there are times when one has to, as it’s gotten out of control.”

He called his time in court “ridiculous, humiliating, painful, savage, unimaginably brutal and cruel” as well as calling everything that’s been said about him “false.”

“No human being is perfect, certainly not. But I have never, in my life, committed sexual battery, physical abuse, all of these outlandish, outrageous stories of me committing these things.

“This is not easy for any of us, I know that. But no matter what happens I did get here and I did tell the truth. And I have spoken up for what I’ve been carrying on my back reluctantly for six years.”

Earlier in the proceedings, which began on April 12 and will wrap up on May 27, Depp denied many of the allegations, insisting that he is a “Southern gentleman” and that he had not been addicted to alcohol or illicit drugs.

— This is a developing story and will be updated live

— With files from The Associated Press