Becca Monaghan
Apr 26, 2022
Independent TV
Johnny Depp's $50 million (£38 million) defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard continues.
Inevitably, there's been many explosive moments along the way. But now, in an awkward turn of events, Heard's lawyer has been mocked online for objecting to his own question.
On Monday (April 25), the actor's house manager Ben King took to the stand to recall Depp's severed finger incident.
Heard’s lawyer, Ben Rottenborn, stopped his statement citing a “hearsay objection”.
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“But you asked the question,” judge Penney Azcarate replied.
Rottenborn's attempt to block his own question sparked giggles around the courtroom, including Depp and his lawyer.
from facepalm
The clip soon spread to Reddit, where users were quick to chime in with their candid takes.
One penned: "He’s thinking to himself how much of a moron that lawyer is. The lawyer has dropped heresy and objection so many times that he says it to his own questions. What a dumba*s."
"You can see them laughing on the right," another highlighted. "That’s hilarious."
While a third added: "TVs best worst lawyer."
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is seeking no less than $50 million in damages after Heard implied he had abused her in a 2018 op-ed piece.
Depp's legal team argued that despite the actor not being explicitly named in the article, it has a “clear implication that Mr Depp is a domestic abuser”, which they say is “categorically and demonstrably false." They have claimed this
Heard titled the 2018 piece: “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change”, writing that "like many women", she had been subject to sexual assault and harassment.
She wrote: "But I kept quiet — I did not expect filing complaints to bring justice. And I didn’t see myself as a victim."
Taking to the stand earlier this week, Depp expressed the importance of the trial, saying: "I'm obsessed with the truth so today is my first opportunity that I've been able to speak about this case in full for the first time. I felt a responsibility of clearing the record."
"I felt it my responsibility to stand up not only for myself in that instance but stand up for my children," he added, citing that they were of high school age at the time of the allegations.
The trial is expected to last around six weeks.
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