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Amber Heard was asked about a 2009 arrest for alleged domestic violence while testifying in the defamation trial opposing her và Johnny Depp.
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Ms Heard returned to lớn the witness stand on Tuesday (17 May) for her fourth day of testimony. She was cross-examined by Mr Depp’s attorney Camille Vasquez.
Ms Vasquez brought up claims faced by Ms Heard in 2009, when she was arrested over an alleged domestic violence incident involving her then-partner Tasya van Ree. The alleged incident was reported in năm 2016 by TMZ. The trang web wrote at the time that Ms Heard “allegedly grabbed và struck
The prosecution declined to tệp tin charges when Ms Heard appeared in court the following day, People reported in 2016.
Ms van Ree in 2016 shared a statement with Variety which read: “In 2009, Amber was wrongfully accused for an incident that was misinterpreted and over-sensationalized by two individuals in a nguồn position.
“I recount hints of misogynistic attitudes toward us which later appeared to be homophobic when they found out we were domestic partners and not just ‘friends.’ Charges were quickly dropped and she was released moments later. It’s disheartening that Amber’s integrity and story are being questioned yet again.
“Amber is a brilliant, honest & beautiful woman & I have the utmost respect for her. We shared five wonderful years together và remain close to lớn this day.”
When questioned by Ms Vasquez in court on Tuesday, Ms Heard denied comitting domestic violence against Ms van Ree or assaulting her. She alleged the story was “planted” after she obtained a temporary restraining order against Mr Depp in 2016.
Some experts believe Ms Vasquez was able to lớn question Ms Heard about the allegation due khổng lồ a reference Ms Heard made khổng lồ Kate Moss during a previous part of her testimony.
While on the stand, Ms Heard discussed a time when she alleges Mr Depp “
Ms Heard said during Mr Depp’s 2020 trial against The Sun in the UK, per The Associated Press: “He was about to lớn push her down the stairs and the moment before that happened, I remembered information I had heard that he pushed a former girlfriend — I believe it was Kate Moss — down the stairs.”
After Ms Heard mentioned Ms Moss in her testimony as part of the US case, Mr Depp’s attorney Ben Chew was seen giving an apparent fist pump, prompting speculation that the mention of Ms Moss could benefit Mr Depp’s legal team in some way.
Broderick Dunn, an attorney based in Virginia, told Fox5 that “since Heard brought up Depp"s alleged prior bad acts, she may have opened the door to lớn her own”, per the website.
Closing arguments are expected lớn take place in the Virginia trial on 27 May.
Mr Depp has sued Ms Heard for alleged defamation over an op-ed she wrote in 2018 for The Washington Post, in which she describes herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse”.
“The op-ed depended on the central premise that Ms Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her,” Mr Depp’s complaint alleges in part, calling the claim of domestic abuse “categorically and demonstrably false”.
He has asked for $50m in damages.
Ms Heard has counter-sued Mr Depp, accusing him of allegedly orchestrating a “smear campaign” against her và describing his own lawsuit as a continuation of “abuse & harassment.”
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Amber Heard"s alleged fight with a former partner more than a decade ago was detailed in court by a witness on Wednesday as her defamation trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp draws lớn its conclusion.
The actress, 36, is battling it out in a Virginia court with Depp, 58, after he sued her for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post, in which she stated that she was a domestic abuse survivor. While Heard, who is countersuing for $100 million, did not name Depp in the article, his lawyers have argued that it was obvious she was referring khổng lồ the actor. During the trial, both denied the other"s allegations of domestic violence.
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As proceedings at Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse on Wednesday, police officer Beverly Leonard testified via live đoạn clip link that she had allegedly witnessed Heard get into an altercation with her then-partner Tasya van Ree at a Washington airport.
According lớn Leonard, the alleged incident took place in 2009 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where she worked at the time.
Amber Heard"s (L) alleged fight with former partner Tasya Van Ree (R) more than a decade ago was detailed in court by a witness on Wednesday, as her defamation trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp draws lớn its conclusion. Heard has denied the allegations.JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images;/Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
Speaking with Depp"s attorney, Camille Vasquez, Leonard said: "I was in the baggage claim area & I observed her with a traveling companion. They got into an altercation where Ms. Heard had grabbed her traveling companion and pulled something from her neck. At that point, I got up and went over to lớn try to lớn break up what appeared to be a fight.
"I summoned a colleague to lớn help me, & I stepped in between them và separated them, stopping any further injuries or escalation," she said.
When asked about Heard and Van Ree"s interaction with one another at the time, Leonard said: "Ms. Heard was aggressive toward her traveling companion. She had reached up và grabbed her arm and pulled a necklace off of her. & then I observed her having it in her hand. She seemed to be not very steady on her feet, her eyes were blurry & watery, and I could smell alcohol."
Of Van Ree, Leonard went on: "She raised her hands in what appeared khổng lồ be a defensive manner. But other than that, she was pretty stoic & didn"t really respond much. Her stature was two or three inches taller than Ms. Heard, so she didn"t really need to have to defend herself."
Vasquez then asked Leonard about Heard"s demeanor at the time.
"She was somewhat dismissive," Leonard responded. "She just said, "We"re just having an argument, we"re fine, we"re fine." Because I was asking if they were OK. "Are you OK? Is there anything wrong? What"s going on?""
Leonard also alleged that she observed injuries on Van Ree at the time, saying: "She had an abrasion on the side of her neck where the necklace was, lượt thích a rope burn, from the chain as it was removed."
Last week, Heard accused Depp"s team of planting the allegation in the truyền thông media that she had been physically abusive toward Van Ree, a photographer & artist who was in a relationship with the Aquaman star for roughly five years.
"You committed domestic violence against Miss Van Ree during your relationship, didn"t you?" Vasquez questioned, which Heard denied while on the stand.
"You assaulted her at a Seattle airport in 2009, didn"t you?" Vasquez continued. "And people saw that."
"That"s not true," Heard responded.
"And it was covered in the press. Isn"t that true?" Depp"s attorney said.
"It was planted in the press by Johnny"s team, two days after I got the TRO
Amber Heard & Tasya Van Ree were in a relationship for around five years. They are pictured together above at Van Ree"s private viewing of "Distorted Delicacies" at Vs. Magazine và Creative Studios Paris" Space on June 22, 2011, in thủ đô new york City.Ben Gabbe/Wire
Image
Heard filed for a restraining order against Depp a few days after filing for divorce in 2016. Their divorce was finalized in January 2017.
"Mr. Depp is not the only domestic partner you"ve assaulted, is he, Ms. Heard?" Vasquez questioned, which Heard denied.
Heard and Van Ree argued at the airport in 2009 before Heard was arrested after she allegedly hit her then-partner in the arm, USA Today reported in 2016.
However, Van Ree issued a statement claiming that the incident was "misinterpreted" and that Heard was "wrongfully" accused.
"I
After being arrested in 2009 by Port of Seattle Police, Heard stated that the charges were dropped "because they knew the exact same thing that I just told you, that no domestic violence ever occurred and my ex has stated such."
In Heard"s 2016 deposition, which went viral during the current trial, she said, "In fact, it was so ridiculous those charges, it was a verbal argument, it was misinterpreted
The Depp v. Heard trial continues Thursday, và canthiepsomtw.edu.vn will be covering all the breaking stories from the Fairfax County courtroom on our live blog.
