Good morning everyone. It's Tuesday and it's the last week of the #JohnnyDeppVsAmberHeardTrial. I've heard that Ms. Heard's team will be resting today which, I think, will signal rebuttals and what-not. I'm not a lawyer and I don't pretend to be. That's what Johnny Depp fans do.
Speaking of 'pretending to be,' much of yesterday was taken up by Depp's lawyers pretending to know as much as a board-certified hand surgeon, a board-certified psychiatrist, and an expert in the entertainment industry.
Depp lawyer Wayne Dennison argued that Heard wanting to keep the role as Mera is like Batman being recast over and over. "Just because you have the role, doesn't mean you get to keep it."
But OK, accepting Dennison's contention "just because you have the role, doesn't mean you get to keep it," doesn't that undercut Depp's entire case? Regardless of how and why he lost the role of Jack Sparrow, "just because you have the role, doesn't mean you get to keep it."
Psychologist Dr. David Spiegel testified Depp has behaviors that are consistent with someone with both substance use disorder & someone who is a perpetrator of intimate partner violence. Depp's lawyers, obviously smarter than Spiegel, argued in circles for what seemed like hours.
Dr Richard Moore, a hand surgeon, testified it was unlikely that Depp's finger was cut during a fight with Heard in Australia in the way that he has described. Again, Depp's lawyers, obviously smarter than Moore, argued in circles for what seemed like hours.
Team Depp employed the #ChewbaccaDefense throughout.
Here's a joke for you. How do you make Johnny Depp dance? You put a little boogie in him.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1528818195448012800
So the legal teams are in and Depp and Heard are in. Waiting for the judge and jury. Some of you have asked me about the two witnesses Depp will be bringing in during rebuttal. Kate Moss and Walter Hamada.
Hamada, president of DC films, has very little credibility among DC fans because of his treatment of #RayFisher. Moss will bring up the pretty nasty event that occurred with Ms. Moss at that hotel in the 90s.
So, now, before the jury is in, Ben Chew is trying to have Heard's countersuit struck. He's invoking malice laws and VA's anti-slapp laws. He's arguing Adam Waldman did not make his defamatory comments with malice. In the real world, this motion would fail...
... but we're not in the real world, we're in the Federal Republican of Depp.
So Ben Chew is done making his case that Amber's countersuit should be thrown out. Now Ben Rottenborn is rebutting.
If you had any remaining doubt, Ben Rottenborn is the more talented of all the attorneys on both sides...
Ben Chew, is it a non sequitur or is it a red herring?
Did Ben just seriously say people knew Adam Waldman was a 'partisan' when he made his defamatory statements and readers knew that? LOL.
Judge Penney Azcarate has just denied Johnny Depp's move to throw out Amber Heard's countersuit.
The evidence is pretty clear in regards to the actions, motivations, and character of Vladimir Putin lackey Adam Waldman. The motion to dismiss was Hail Mary by Johnny Depp. And he lost. BUT the trial itself is not over.
ok, so now a long sidebar with the judge. It's almost 10AM and the jury isn't even in yet.
OK, here comes the jury. Like we've heard, Team Amber is expected to rest their case today. Don't know if it's immediate or after a few more witnesses. IMO, her case has been made. Her case was made on day 1.
And Team Heard rests. Rebuttal witness is Walter Hamada, president of DC films. Again, not very popular among DC fans, specifically Zack Snyder fans, for his treatment of #RayFisher.
Did WB have a contract with Heard for Aquaman 2? Hamada answers yes.
Was Ms. Heard ever released from her Aquaman contract? No.
Did Ms. Heard receive a pay increase for Aquaman 2? Hamada answers no. He testifies a new-ish WB policy it to not renegotiate contracts.
Did Warners ever reduce Ms. Heard's role in the film? Hamada hems and haws but finally answers no.
I've never heard, until yesterday, that Aquaman 2 would be a "buddy comedy." FFS. This is gonna suck.
Hamada is testifying that nothing said in Depp's orbit affected Amber's pay and role. Hamada testifies there was a delay in adding Heard to the film because there was potential to recast it.
Hamada testifies there was a concern over "chemistry" between Heard and Momoa. Hamada says Warners never auditioned anyone else for the role.
Was Warners considering paying more money to Heard? Hamada says Warners hold their actors to their contracts. Hamada says Warners never released Amber from her contract.
CX by Bredehoft. Hamada derisively says he never spoke to @ZackSnyder about "chemistry issues" between Heard and Momoa. Sounds like the chemistry complaint was just an excuse. Anyone?
Hamada states it looks like there was chemistry to the audience, but the filmmakers didn't see it in post-production.
text message exchange between James Wan and Amber Heard. "you rated really high with the audience!!!"
Jason Momoa was able to renegotiate higher pay, although Hamada says Warners holds actors to their contract. Interesting.
Hamada did nothing. He said there was no chemistry with Amber & Jason, but also says the audience liked the chemistry & Amber tested well. He said WB doesn't renegotiate with actors but did with Jason. He turned his nose up at the suggestion @ZackSnyder's opinion would be valid.
ok, morning recess.
And we're back. Now a sidebar with the judge.
here comes the jury. And next rebuttal witness for Depp is by video and it's Dr. Colbert (?)
He worked on Depp's hand. He said it was "injured." And he put on a plaster splint. So, this doctor undercuts former Depp witness testimony, too, who claimed it was a soft cast, not a hard plaster cast.
Lawyer asks if Depp would have been able to grab anyone with that hand. He said 'he could try.' But the testimony from Heard was he grabbed her with the other hand and hit her with the cast hand.
Law & Crime feed has crapped out. ok, back. Rottenborn confirms what I said above. Now we see pics of the closet Depp trashed on that day. "Is there anything that would have prevented Depp from doing this damage?" Dr. says no.
Doctor confirms Depp could have hit someone with the cast but it would have caused damage to the cast. Doctor says he could have hit someone and doesn't recall if the cast ever had damage. Witness did nothing for Depp's case.
Richard 'Don't mean nothin'" Marks is back as Depp's next witness.
His main purpose is to undercut Catheryn Anderson's testimony yesterday.
Arnold, sorry. So, yeah, there will be nothing big revealed here other than Marks is disagreeing with Arnold. If Team Heard cx's this witness I'll let you know.
So it shouldn't escape anyone's attention that Marks' testimony about options and contracts for Amber Heard in Aquaman 2 also applies to Depp for Pirates 6.
ok, cross-examination by Team Heard.
Marks is immediately volatile to Team Heard. Marks has negotiated ZERO contracts for a Superhero movie.
The answer is no, Marks, you've not negotiated any contracts for Superhero movies. Now Marks calls Hamada's testimony into question re: Momoa's contract re-negotiation.
Marks cannot name one actress who didn't get another studio movie after her breakthrough role. Not one. Marks is using weasel words now.
ok, so a few holes in Mark's testimony on redirect. But overall, his testimony was meh for both sides. His apparent disagreement with Hamada and not knowing any other actress who didn't get another studio movie after her breakthrough role was a little sting.
Next witness is Michael Spindler again. He was Depp's forensics accountant. Team Depp wants to use another witness to discredit Catherine Arnold. Second in row. Something about her testimony is vexing Team Depp.
Cross-ex of Spindler by Rottenborn. Now Team Depp objects to the term "Depp/Waldman statement." Rottenborn wins. Rottenborn reminds Spindler he is only hear to rebut Ms. Arnold, and not anything else.
Rotten says getting better movie roles and better endorsements brings more money. Spindler agrees 2017-2018 Amber's career was on the upswing. Again, Rottenborn says Spindler isn't qualified to speak to the impact of the Depp/Waldman defamatory on Heard's career.
Spindler has never been an expert witness or is offering an opinion on what social media, the Depp/Waldman statements, or anything else has effected Heard's career.
Next witness, again, Doug Bana. Intellectual property, copyright infringement, etc. Uses social media forensics. If you'll recall, Rottenborn demolished this witness several weeks back. And now he wants more. And, again, he's being used to discredit Catherine Andrews.
Next witness, again, Doug Bana. Intellectual property, copyright infringement, etc. Uses social media forensics. If you'll recall, Rottenborn demolished this witness several weeks back. And now he wants more. And, again, he's being used to discredit Catherine Andrews.
I dunno. Bana appears to be merely amending the portions of his previous testimony that Rottenborn demolished. So he's getting a do-over.
ok, lunch. See you back in a bit.
ok, lunch. See you back in a bit.
So much is being haggled over, mainly by Depp's witnesses, over how big of a star Jason Momoa was when he landed Aquaman. To hear Momoa say it, he wasn't that big at all. In fact, he was ready to quit and he credited @ZackSnyder for saving his career. comicbookmovie.com/justice_league…
ok, and we're back from lunch. More from Bana. And more questions about Ms. Arnold. This is the third witness Depp attorney's have called to discredit her.
So cross-ex by Team Heard. Honestly not much to work with here. As I said earlier, this isn't what Bana does full-time and his forensics "analysis" is a bit off, as was shown the first time he testified.
Now Team Heard reminds Bana Adam Waldman has been banned from twitter for life for harassing Amber Heard and that he lost the appeal? Team Depp objects! Bana answered he didn't know that.
Now Team Heard asks Mr. Bana if he's aware a spike in his data coincides with Waldman leaking the selectively edited tape.
Bana's analysis is easy to poke holes in. He just ignored key points and isn't sure if 'likes' and 'shares' aids in disseminating information. Unbelievable!
"Waldman himself has nothing to do with the Waldman statements." 🤣🤣🤣
He's crumbling now. Again. LOL.
Team Depp knows it because they just objected to evidence that's already in the record. In other words, "don't show that! don't show that!"
And now a rather long sidebar to discuss...
ok, quick recess...
And now a 'Mr. Knight' is going to be quized by the judge without the witness present to see if he knows anything about the trial. This could determine if he's allowed to testify.
there's chatter on the internet this witness knows, or has worked, with Johnny Depp and/or his ex-wife...
We were about to get somewhere then the feed froze.
Apparently the Judge wouldn't allow Knight's connection with Depp nor his tweet to TUG.
Knight knew Depp from the Viper Room as well...
So Knight is reversing things, say Amber was jealous of Depp talking to a woman and she got aggressive over it.
btw, don't recall if I told you, this guy managed Hicksville.
cx by Team Heard. "You're a really big fan of Johnny Depp, aren't you?" I am not "You knew this was going to be live and you wanted be a part of it." No, not true. "You exchanged tweets with TUG and you follow a twitter account called JohnnyDeppFan." I do not... uh oh..
Mr. Knight is perjuring himself. So we're discussing his relationship with Depp's ex-wife... he admits he knows her... Elaine Bredehoft is showing the tweet where he corresponded with TUG and a clip of this trial...
It was Mr. Knight who contacted TUG - TUG also schemed with Adam Waldman (getting good, huh?) Four days after that he tweeted something 'nasty' about Elon Musk...
Mr. Knight testifies Depp drove to Hicksville and May of 2013. Knight says he spent 45 minutes to an hour with Johnny and Amber. Mr. Knight doesn't recall anyone else there. He doesn't recall anything about the night at Hicksville...
Elaine called Depp "Mr. Heard," lol. Incels in meltdown!!
Mr. Knight now doesn't recall ANYTHING... I think he suspects Team Heard has something on him...
So now redirect. Camille is MAD! And she's going to try and clean up Knight's mess.
oh well, pretty much a bad witness for Depp. Next witness is Dr. Shaw (or Shah?)...
Dr. Shaw is a CHILD psychiatrist and he's here to refute the grown-up psychiatrists who've made Depp look bad, LOL.
There's been an objection and now a long sidebar... ok, to be honest, I thought the prior witness was going to be kicked out. He lied about not knowing what was going on in the case. He initially said all he knew was that a friend told him Hicksville was mentioned...
By the end of his testimony it was revealed he was a fan of Depp, had worked with a former wife of Depp, and had been in contact with one of the biggest single-purpose Amber Heard hate youtube accounts...
Anyway, back to Dr. Shaw / Shah. Now we're on to the Goldwater Rule again... sigh. This was resolved yesterday when Rottenborn confirmed the rule only applied to publicly-available information, not private information.
So the gist of this child psychiatrist is Dr. Spiegel violated the Goldwater rule. That appears to be his purpose for being there. Too bad he can't diagnose that little child Depp. OK, real-world meeting.
I'm back and catching up. So Dr. Shaw is attempting to disagree with Dr. Speigel on psychiatric grounds - a tough job for a child doctor. So far, his testimony is basically nyuh uh! (but said in a soft British accent.)
ok, I'm done with child doctor Dr. Shaw. On cx, it was confirmed Spiegel did not violate the Goldwater rule because he was an expert witness testifying about things that were not public.
Team Depp has concluded their live witnesses for today. The jury is out but there is some profers - evidence that should be included. One refers to Dr. Laurel Anderson's testimony earlier that details Depp's abuse of Depp. The court excluded these from the jury.
Dr. Kipper testified Ms. Heard voiced concerns of Depp's behavior and tried to push and fight her. Again, the court chose to withhold this from the jury...
Nurse Debbie Lloyd - same thing - much of Lloyd's deposition and nursing notes detailing Depp's abuse was withheld from the jury by the court. Nurse Falati - same thing.
Same with Dr. Amy Banks. The court refused to allow deposition that Depp initiated violence against Heard. The judge would not allow the jury to hear this evidence.
On and on. SO MUCH evidence Team Depp objected to and Judge Penney Azcarate sustained all objections so the jury could not hear the testimonies.
If Heard loses, and appeals on these grounds, Judge Azcarate will be tarnished...
If some or all of this had been allowed, this case would be over.
And that's it for the day. See you in the morning.
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