A former marriage counselor for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard testified in court that the pair engaged in "mutual abuse."
Dr. Laurel Anderson was summoned as a witness in the defamation trial against Depp and Heard in Fairfax, Virginia, on Thursday, April 14. She was questioned about some of her previous encounters with the couple.
Former Marriage Counselor Recalls "Mutual Abuse"
Dr. Anderson responded yes when asked if Heard had ever reported Depp for physical violence. When asked if she had seen illustrations, she responded she had, but she couldn't recall when. "Yes, you're right," she answered when asked if there was aggression from Johnny Depp toward Amber Heard, The Independent reported.
The marriage counselor testified in court that Amber Heard told her that "if she felt disrespected to initiate a fight it was a point of pride to Heard to initiate a fight," and that "if he was going to leave her to deescalate the fight she would strike him to keep him there - she would rather be in a fight than have him leave."
Johnny Depp has filed a lawsuit in Virginia against Amber Heard, his ex-wife, over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she refers to herself as a public figure symbolizing domestic abuse. Heard has filed a countersuit, accusing him of conducting a "smear campaign" against her and portraying his own action as abuse and harassment.
Amber Heard Assistant Testifies
Meanwhile, in a recorded deposition shown Thursday during actor Johnny Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard's former personal assistant accused the 'Aquaman' actress of fostering an unpleasant work environment.
Kate James accused Heard, her former boss, of being "verbally abusive" and underpaying her staff in a deposition taped in February, as per Fox News.
Heard allegedly "screamed" at James over the phone and in person several times. Heard went berserk over a dispute about James' wages, according to the actress's former assistant.
James said she was severely underpaid and was sacked when Heard said she couldn't afford her services any longer. The abrasive ex-staffer also called Heard "dramatic" and denied that Johnny Depp harmed his ex-wife, as Heard's attorneys claimed throughout the trial.
Johnny Depp's Fans Booted in His Defamation Trial
After police learned they reportedly made violent threats against Amber Heard online, two Johnny Depp superfans were kicked out of his defamation trial, the New York Post reported.
The two women seemed flustered to a New York Post reporter when they were approached by court police in Fairfax, Virginia, who subsequently escorted them out of the courtroom. Brooke Walsh and Isabelle Orsini were among the hundreds of fans who sat in the gallery this week in support of Depp, according to a source.
At least four guards led Orsini out of the courthouse on Thursday, telling her she was not allowed to return. In court last week, Heard's attorneys accused Depp of sexually assaulting their client by piercing her with a liquor bottle, something Depp's side strenuously disputes.
Presiding Judge Penney Azcarate has been annoyed with a large number of Depp followers who are allegedly behaving badly and chewing gum under the courtroom benches. According to the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office, "extensive security measures were planned and implemented in collaboration with the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court who is presiding over the trial."
@YouTube
