The Tables Have Officially Turned In The Johnny Depp V. Amber Heard Case
From hearing the word "hearsay" enough times to make musical compilations to lawyers trying to prove that Johnny Depp was peeing in the hallway, there have been tons of head-scratching moments in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial. The former couple's lawyers have been battling it out in court since April 11, and the world has eagerly been watching along. But on May 3, the trial took a turn when the judge made a major decision in the case. The choice could possibly change the entire course of the legal battle.
The trial started with Depp suing Heard over an article that she published in the Washington Post, stating that she is "a public figure representing domestic abuse." Since then, every single day has been a whirlwind. The world has watched on live streams and it seems like just about everyone has an opinion, but of course, the opinion that matters the most is that of the judge.
The lawyers might be going back and forth, but it's Judge Penney Azcarate that has made the most major move in the trial thus far.
Judge Penney Azcarate denied Amber Heard's motion to end the trial
As TMZ reports, Amber Heard's legal team filed a motion to dismiss a few of Johnny Depp's charges. The publication states that this is a fairly common ask. Unfortunately, things didn't play out the way Heard and her team had hoped. The judge denied the motion to end the trial, which means that both legal teams will continue to battle it out in court.
Depp is suing Heard for $50 million over the Washington Post article that she wrote in December 2018, which he claims is defamation. This is the second time that Johnny Depp is taking someone to court for defamation. The first time, Depp sued The Sun over an article claiming he was a "wife-beater." Depp lost the UK trial after being unable to prove that he did not in fact beat his then-wife, Heard.
Now, Depp is out to prove his point once again in the current trial. And according to public opinion, he's winning. It looks like the judge believes he has a chance to fight back as well.
Viewers of the trial are certainly taking sides
As one of the most sensational and public defamation trials to date, social media users are flocking to their keyboards to share their opinions with the World Wide Web. If you scroll through your Twitter feed, you might notice a strong bent toward Johnny Depp's side. Several well-known celebrities — including Sia as well as Depp's exes Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder – have spoken up on social media to show their support for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor and declare him the real victim (via South China Morning Post).
The List previously spoke to "The Relationship Expert" herself, Jaime Bronstein, about why so many people appear to be taking Johnny Depp's side. "Although both Amber and Johnny have exhibited some bad behavior, it seems that Amber is the one with the major anger issue that provokes Johnny," she told us. "Also, it appears that Amber may have fabricated or stretched the truth on various occasions."
We will have to wait and see whether or not the judge agrees. One thing is for sure, though: He's not ending the trial here. In fact, he's taking his sweet time.
The judge is getting specific on objections
On top of denying Amber Heard's motion to end the trial, the judge is also being super specific when it comes to objections. If you've been following along — with either the live stream or the many TikTok compilations — you will have noticed a lot of "hearsay" going on. While judges can't exactly limit the amount of objections posed, as legal teams do have the right to call out any question they see fit, the Heard/Depp trial has brought the issue of objections to the forefront given the frequency of interruptions.
"If you're quoting someone outside of the courtroom, that's hearsay. So I'm on the witness stand, and I'm (quoting myself) saying something to (someone) outside the courtroom, that is technically hearsay," Law & Crime Network analyst Gene Rossi said during a live stream. "In my 30 years of practicing law, 99% of the judges did not care [...] if I'm quoting myself outside the courtroom, because you're there to be cross-examined!" Heard's lawyers seem to be taking all the hearsay objections that they can get. Unfortunately, as The Wrap points out, that means there are a lot of sidebars, which equates to a longer trial in the long run.
With or without the calls, this will without a doubt be a long trial. It is said to be wrapped up around May 19, and those following along are sure to see a lot of drama unfold before then.