This season's most unpleasant divorce drama seems to be spinning to a conclusion. Johnny Depp, 52, and Amber Heard, 30, arrived at a divorce settlement Tuesday.
"Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love," reads the couple's joint statement. "Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future. Amber will be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity."
The hearing will begin on Wednesday.
The divorce began as a bad brawl that gradually expanded into an ugly season. Heard charged Depp with domestic abuse and filed for a restraining order against him, even as she gave evidence of injury, including a bruise on her cheek. She said that he had thrown a cell phone on her face.
"During the entirety of our relationship, Johnny has been verbally and physically abusive to me," Heard submitted in court at the time. "I endured excessive emotional, verbal and physical abuse from Johnny, which has included angry, hostile, humiliating and threatening assaults to me whenever I questioned his authority or disagreed with him."
However, the Los Angeles police who visited their loft refuted any claim of crime or assault at the venue. Depp claimed through his lawyers that Heard was only trying to accelerate her payout for the "short marriage" of 15 months.
Last Saturday, Heard attended a court-ordered deposition. Last Tuesday, she withdrew her bid to extend a restraining order against Depp, reveal Los Angeles Superior Court documents. This was part of the hearing that had been scheduled for Wednesday, but is now cancelled.
The settlement agreement seems to be a win for Depp, said Los Angeles divorce attorney Fahi Takesh Hallin.
"The fact that Amber Heard did not follow through with her request for a permanent restraining order speaks for itself," she said. "Johnny's refusal to play this out and discuss it with the media smacks of sincerity, as is his willingness to put this matter to bed without insisting on a vindication in court, which would have kept unnecessary media attention on the couple."
On the other hand, Heard's attorneys "filed a dismissal of her temporary restraining order," and said in her support: "We are very pleased that this matter has been settled and Amber has been vindicated in the court of public opinion," said Heard's lawyers, Samantha F. Spector and Joseph P. Koenig, in a statement. "The case was incredibly challenging and demanding on everyone involved, but mostly on Amber who showed great grace and strength under fire. It was an honor to represent her."
