AIBU to wonder why so many people assume Johnny Depp is the good guy and Amber Heard is the villain? ..

[Cowslip4567]

People (from what I am reading in a variety of places on the internet) seem to have decided this even before the trial has been concluded. Presumably, we won't know all of the evidence until the trial ends.

The previous trial in the UK concluded that there was indeed evidence that JD was indeed a wife beater. How come everyone feels that they are sure previous trial had the wrong verdict?

What do you anticipate the sentence will be here - you are clearly on top of all the proceedings in this case.

Suppose it depends what kind of gambler you are. Do you fold when the stakes are high and your hand is weak, or do you go all in and risk the weak hand.

JD has clearly decided to sink the ship and take her down with him. Perhaps he feels the gamble will pay off because both of them will be ruined rather than just him.

He could have just bailed some water out, clung on and let her sail off. Over time things would have died down, but nope he's gone sailing straight at the iceberg and to hell with it.

Each to their own I suppose.

Agreed. He probably wishes he kept quiet aswell.

But I think on some level he truly believes hes innocent. I do t think he is ,but she isnt either

They are abuser and abused to what level is unknown. Shes playing the "I'm a woman they will believe card" he playing the "I'm an addict Its not my fault card"

Really?? Roman Polanski being convicted of raping a minor didn't destroy his career, even if it did limit his ability to return to the US. Chris Brown hitting Rihanna? Tyson and his ex-wife, not to mention the rape conviction? There is a long list of domestic abusers and violent men who have brushed it off and continued working. Can you give me one example of someone who's career has been permanently ruined by an allegation of domestic abuse?

He slammed some kitchen cupboards and said mean things about her to his friends behind her back. No-one has evidence of him hitting her. On the other hand she admitted on tape to getting so angry she can't stop being violent, hitting him (although it definitely wasn't a punch and he's a great baby for saying so) and throwing things at him.

It seems incredible that anyone thinks that his behaviour comes close to hers. His is also easily explained if she was the sole (or primary) abuser. Who wouldn't say horrible things about someone who's made your life a living hell with their narcissism and abuse?

We know for certain she was abusive and very plainly not in fear for her life given what was said between them. You don't call your abusive husband a baby for running away from a fight and not taking your punches like a man.

All that we have to find out is whether he was abusive in some measure to or whether she was the sole abuser. Slamming doors and nasty texts aren't evidence of physical abuse.

This is why I think it ties in with finding out his money was mismanaged and his mum passing away. Losing all his work, income, mum, wife and his reputation has made him just feel like he has nothing left to lose.

I am not defending him I am speculating on why he is doing this. I think it’s to sink them both. He’s not going to find any peace in doing this really.

She’s young and has only just started her family life. She’s got time on her side to learn and change. He has ruined a lot of his own life all by himself. He cheated on VP with AH and that RS broke down. He’s unhappy and in denial. He should have just walked away from it. She doesn’t have much choice but to defend herself in these cases.

So he then went to court and exposed himself as actually being one.

As well as exposing himself as a rapist. Amber Heard wanted this detail to be kept confidential in the UK libel trial.

I wonder what made judge Mr. Justice Nicol rule that it was substantially true for the Sun to describe Depp as a "wife beater" then? If there is no evidence for that? I wonder what the court spent their time considering? Don't forget, Depp was also unsuccessful in going forward with an appeal against that judgement.

Who wants to predict the outcome of a legal case? The law is a lottery.

Against him is the bias of the courts against men, the general assumption in society that a man is the abuser and not the abused and the fact that he lost the London case.

For him is the fact that this is in front of a jury and not a single judge and that although he isn't doing that well under cross examination the mass of evidence of her lies and violence is overwhelming, although that isn't enough to prove he was never violent. However, the evidence to suggest he was is extremely weak and basically her word only. Plus Heard has a history of violence against her sister and an ex lover (although the latter said the case was exaggerated) and Depp's ex's have been supportive of him.

At this point I have no idea which way it will go.

I'm going to personally believe, I think they've both hit one another at some point. How that's come about, nobody will ever know only the 4 walls of that room know the truth and they can't speak.

But adults shouldn't be hitting eachother regardless of what "led up to it"

The UK courts were clearly given evidence that backed up the "wife beater" headline. Even if that was once or 50 times he must have beaten her at least once that left her in fear.

Like I said nobody is coming out of this as a victim. If anything they are both coming out of this as "bad people".

The entire behaviour displayed so far by both is unacceptable in my opinion. Nobody is a winner here at all.

Slamming doors and nasty texts aren't evidence of physical abuse.

they do however, paint a picture of his utter contempt for women and his serious anger issues/lack of impulse control.

Putting that context on top of the head butting incident, which he admits happening, his own explanation ( I was trying to give her a bear hug) starts to look ... somewhat implausible.

Then there's also the U.K. verdict. 12 separate incidences of assault according to the U.K. judge.

Who can say why a judge makes a particular judgement? It's not as if judges don't make terrible decisions and have those overturned very frequently. It's not as if he had a secret stash of evidence which wasn't available to the rest of us.

He heard the tapes in which she says she is violent. He heard the evidence of witnesses who said her face wasn't bruised and the police woman who said there was no damage to the apartment.

All you can say is he believed Heard not Depp and judged accordingly.

Except he did admit to hitting her in audio: “I head-butted you in the f*ing……forehead. That doesn't break a nose". He admitted to doing so in the UK libel trial. There’s also texts that support her claim that he kicked her on one occasion.

Have included the list on what was upheld and what was dismissed in the UK court case.

Who can say why a judge makes a particular judgement? It's not as if judges don't make terrible decisions and have those overturned very frequently.

He was denied an appeal. The U.K. judiciary didn't think he had a case, this is not about one judge.

The judge however, with access to all evidence, was in a far better position to decide than any Johnny Depp fan, paid troll, or any other layperson.

You not liking the judgement reached does not mean the judge was wrong.

No, slamming a door shows you're in a foul mood. It doesn't show contempt for women if a man does it or contempt for men if a woman does it. If I remember rightly it happened just after he found out that he'd lost most of his money. Most of us might take out our temper on inanimate objects after that sort of news.

No, the head butting doesn't seem implausible, especially based on slamming a few doors. As she has admitted to 'losing it' and being violent it's very likely he tried to restrain her and they bumped heads.

The UK judgement was the opinion of one man based on evidence we can all see. It's not the word of God.

Who wants to predict the outcome of a legal case? The law is a lottery.

It really isn't. And I asked you about sentencing, which you've kind of glossed over. There won't be a sentence here. This case is entirely of Depp's own choosing and if any legal advisor didn't try to talk him out of it, he's buying very bad advice.

I mean, miscarriages of justices do occur. But actual grounds are needed to claim that, beyond 'it doesn't tally with what my social media feed is telling me'.

The judge in that case is a professional with many years experience and clearly considered the evidence very carefully, hence the extremely detailed judgement.

I used to really like JD - as a teenager, I had a huge crush on him as Edward Scissorhands. He also came across as a genuine likable nice guy (the trip to the children's hospital, many years ago, as Captain Jack Sparrow etc).

However, he is an absolute douchebag. I will never watch another of his movies again. His attitude towards women, in general, is disgusting. The text messages that he has written are sickening and vile.

It absolutely amazes me that people (women in particular) will still defend him, and swoon all over him. Why? Would these people ever really want to be in a relationship with someone like this? Would they be happy for their daughters to be in a relationship with someone like this?

However, AH isn't coming across well either. It seems she's a serial liar (at the very best, abuser at worst), who thrives on drama. I will also not be watching anything she's ever in again.

I understand that JD is suing her for loss of earnings, as he got sacked from projects (Fantastic Beasts etc); in my opinion, removing him from these projects was the right thing to do. However, she should also be cancelled. Both awful people.

You not liking the judgement reached does not mean the judge was wrong.

Balanced against that, he was totally cute in Edward Scissorhands and he seemed really nice and sad. So who knows?

You don't aid your argument by acting like a petulant child.

I'm not a paid troll you fool, just someone who has a different opinion than you.

No, the judge isn't in a better position to make a decision in this case than anyone else who has looked at the evidence and the witness statements in particular. Judges can make terrible decisions. There are appeals, often successful, against those decisions all the time.

I think you misunderstood my post. What I don't understand is how many people are completely sure that Johnny Depp has been wronged, even before the trial has concluded. I love how more than 50% voted that I was unreasonable in thinking it would be better to wait until all the evidence has been presented before making a decision!

So it’s plausible that he hit her in self defence, but not the other way round?

No one said the word of a judge (multiple judges in this case, as has been pointed out) is the word of God, but it comes with far more authority than the word of Johnny Depp fans 🥴

It doesn't show contempt for women

hmm I meant more the 'let's fuck her burnt corpse', calling her the 'slippery whore he donated his jizz to' and referring to his ex ad an 'extortionate French cunt'

these are the words of a man respectful to women, you believe?

No, the judge isn't in a better position to make a decision in this case than anyone else who has looked at the evidence and the witness statements in particular.