A “deep misogyny” was at the root of the anger that Johnny Depp translated into violence, fueled by an addiction to alcohol and drugs, against his then wife, Amber Heard, as the higher court heard.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star described himself as “a gentleman from the south who respected women,” but the texts showed that this was “completely untrue,” Sasha Wass QC said, summarizing for News Group Newspapers (NGN), owner of the Sun, in the three-week defamation case filed by Depp.
In texts, Depp, 57, had described women as “whores” and “fat and ugly whores.” In one she said she would “hit the ugly cunt” after asking if a “worthless prostitute” had arrived. In another, she described her former partner Vanessa Paradis as a “withered pussy.” Depp also “created a misogynistic personality of [Heard] like the stereotype of a nagging woman. Furthermore, he had “returned to the oldest accusations of a gold digger, a shrew, and an adulterer,” Wass said,
He demonstrated “profound misogyny” that “was at the root of Mr. Depp’s anger, and the anger he felt against Miss Heard, which resulted in violence when he felt threatened by her,” Wass added.
Depp is suing NGN, and The Sun executive editor Dan Wootton, for an article that called him a “handcuff puncher” and referred to “overwhelming evidence” that he had attacked Heard. Depp denies hitting Heard, 34, who has provided details of 14 occasions during their relationship when he claims he assaulted her.
Wass said the NGN defense “is a truth, namely that Mr. Depp actually beat his wife.” Although the newspaper must demonstrate in the balance of probabilities that Depp assaulted her on at least one occasion, she said that the defendants had “established that many more of a wife-beating incident occurred, in the context of a” fuel fueled with drugs and alcohol lifestyle. “
Wass said Depp transformed into “the monster,” with his recollection of “his own shameful behavior so badly affected” through drinks and drugs that “he may not have been aware of the extent of his violent and terrifying behavior” that he was allegedly he left Heard “for fear of his life”.
Depp had tried to “reverse the role of victim and accused” in presenting his case, Wass said. When charged with violence, excessive alcohol use, or being a heavy drug user, Depp had made the same charges against Heard, according to the court.
Although it was emphasized that witnesses called by the defense did not see Depp actually hit Heard, she said: “Each and every reported incident is supported by the testimony of Miss Heard herself and whether my lord considers it to be a sincere and plausible witness, doing everything possible to recount what must have been extremely traumatic events, then Miss Heard’s evidence is sufficient to establish the defense of the truth. “
She added: “The days are long gone when the courts of this country required corroboration before accepting the unsupported testimony of a female whistleblower.”
Wass said a “large body of evidence” supported Heard’s claims: text messages, medical evidence from those who treated Depp for addiction and described him as “a desperate addict” and “unable to contain his anger,” photographic evidence. and testimonies of witnesses to his attacks. or its aftermath.
Depp’s response that he was the victim of an elaborate deception perpetrated by Heard and his friends by “painting about injuries and manipulating photographs” as part of “some kind of insurance policy” for Heard was laughable, Wass said.
The case continues.
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