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?

He's been in the business for years and employers will use that experience to decide whether they can work with him rather than a court case suggesting he has temper tantrums with ex partners or drug problems (as many actors do). Being physically violent is much worse.

Being known as domestically violent is much worse and much more likely to ruin a career.

im saying that wouldn't have registered with me, had he not decided to drag all this through the courts.

I am pretty horrified by the texts though. Having those in the public domain should be immensely damaging even if a chilling number of women are falling over themselves to say that these are perfectly normal statements about partners 🤯

Ruin a career? Just off the top of my head:
Mel Gibson?
O.J. Simpson - for several years before the murder but while he'd been seen by the police?
Chris Brown?

Domestic abuser "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." and convicted rapist, Mike Tyson? In the news again for violence but, like the others, accepted back and employed.

There is only one party that abuses whilst at the same time co writes an Op Ed piece speaking as a victim and then times the release of said OpEd piece so that it garners her maximum publicity (whilst having said ex husband ‘abuser’ and ex billionaire boyfriend pay $$$$ to cover the cost because she hasn’t ).

She also ‘mimics’ to the max.

She really has done a number on so many people and I am quite surprised so many people can’t/won’t see it.

The domestic violence certainly registered with me prior to the court case! It was all over the news hence the Sun calling him a "wife-beater". The texts were quite shocking but he didn't say the words to her and nowhere near as bad as actual violence.

They weren't actors in children's films though.

The texts were quite shocking but he didn't say the words to her and nowhere near as bad as actual violence.

well yes, saying he wanted to fuck her burnt out corpse wasn't as bad as actually doing it. I'm not sure where that gets us though, it was a depraved and sickening statement and hugely indicative of his general attitude towards women. Supported by the disgusting descriptions of Paradis.

it was reminiscent of the Irish rugby player rape trial where some disgusting texts were enough for several sponsors to withdraw their support even though the player in question (Paddy McGuinness?) wasn't found guilty. They were absolutely tame in comparison however.

It's not as bad as domestic violence full stop. He says it is based on a Monty Python joke.

He says it is based on a Monty Python joke.

Personally I've never heard anything less funny in my life, I don't care what it's supposed to reference.

Yes I can see your point here. He can't be used as a role model for children. Now I know some will say but he's acting it's not him.

It's still his face on all the merchandise.

He kicked her in the back - witnessed and texted about contemporaneously by Stephen Deuters.
Deuters, a Depp witness, initially denied the texts' existence, then said it was doctored, then when data-verified, said he was 'placating' Heard. Deuters' testimony on this was disbelieved by the UK judge.

The head-butt was admitted on tape and accepted as an act of dv by the UK judge.

The UK judgement is really informative to read and has all the above. Both trials are only about if he struck her, and he did. She admits striking him, but that will be a different trial if it happens. That is how the law works.

The Monty Python reference is bull. They're hoping enough Americans don't know Monty Python. They're trying to limit the damage to Paul Bettany's reputation too.

"Ruin a career? Just off the top of my head:
Mel Gibson?
O.J. Simpson - for several years before the murder but while he'd been seen by the police?
Chris Brown?
Domestic abuser "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." and convicted rapist, Mike Tyson? In the news again for violence but, like the others, accepted back and employed."

How many Kevin Spacey films have you seen recently? Did you catch the release of the latest Polanski film outside France?

Times have changed as a result of metoo, which Heard tried to piggy back onto despite being an abuser herself.

"Indeed, male celebrities get a much bigger "free pass""

And yet Depp was dropped from Pirates and Heard was kept on for Aquaman despite the evidence from the tapes where she says she hit him, mocks him about it and says no-one will believe he's the victim of abuse.

Seems like she got a pretty big 'free pass' to me and he got none.

But equally it could be said that he's surrounded by enablers who are all on the payroll one way or another, even if it's just that they feel they owe a debt of gratitude to him. He is generous I agree, but he also spends insane amounts of money in general.

She has made a statement about this.

there are big differences now than the uk case as Amber is going to find it particularly difficult to be seen as a credible witness, it’s clear even some of the uk case is going to come out and haunt her. She has used charities for her own publicity inside and outside of the courtroom that will not go down well. Whereas Depp admitting head butting on tape it is now just as believable that as he has stated it was an accident because the doubt Amber has created in her testimonies leaves much more space for belief that he is telling the truth. I don’t think either will win in court, Depp so far is definitely winning in credibility.

@Aspiringmatriarch

He has an insane amount of money to spend! He definitely seems to live by the philosophy that money is meant to be enjoyed vs put away for a future legacy. Unfortunately for someone with addiction, unlimited cash is going to create issues. He has invested in a lot of real estate so he does have that for future use. It is just nice that he spreads the wealth to those around him and helps others out.

He did allege in the UK trial that Amber was a gold digger - the judge refuted that based on her donating her $7 million divorce settlement which we know now to not be a true fact.

I don’t think either will win in court

I'm not sure what you mean by this. One of them will win this case. The other will probably appeal perhaps that's what you mean. It may well drag on for years, by which case we'll all have lost interest, they'll have tanked all their money and the lawyers will be laughing.

however my understanding, from legal professionals is that defamation is extremely hard to prove, so it's a long shot for Depp, even if he hadn't given them so much evidence against him from his own mouth. The U.K. judgement was convinced by 12 separate incidents, so that's lots to play with for Heard's lawyers. I guess we'll see.

He did allege in the UK trial that Amber was a gold digger - the judge refuted that based on her donating her $7 million divorce settlement which we know now to not be a true fact.

that's not materially relevant to either case, which was stated very clearly when the U.K. appeal was thrown out.

@TheKeatingFive I didn't say it was.

I wonder what will come of the 'extortion' letter post divorce where she says that either he lets her, her sister, and her friend keep living expense free in three of his penthouse apartments, and he gives her exclusive use of one of his cars or she will file a restraining order against him and publicly serve it.

He was so violent that she, her family, and friends all still wanted to live in close proximity to him...on the same floor, in the same building? That makes no sense at all.

The UK judge decided the headbutt wasn't an accident based on Amber Heard's testimony but the US Jury may decide differently particularly as Amber Heard has since been shown to have lied about a lot of things.

"I don’t think either will win in court

"I'm not sure what you mean by this. One of them will win this case"

I don't think that's what they meant. I think they were suggesting that both will be damaged by the revelations and any win will be a pyrrhic victory for either of them.

I personally don't see how he could sink much lower than wifebeater, other than rapist, murderer or nonce. She, on the other hand, has been shown to be a violent, abusive liar who ripped off charities. I think whatever the outcome of the trial she has been far more damaged by the revelations given the difference in their relative standing before this case began.

Just heard a conversation between them both,a recorded one

I would love for someone to tell me how much of a victim she sounds?! Or if this sounds like a typical victim of DV

I do want to add trigger warning as it isn't pleasant but I felt its important