The trial in the case of Johnny Depp v News Group Newspapers in the High Court in London before Nicol J continued on Friday 24 July 2020 (Day 14) when the evidence for the defendants concluded.

The day began with an application by Mr Depp’s Counsel to re-open the cross-examination of Ms Heard’s sister, Whitney Henriques, to ask her about a video which had been sent overnight and which, it was claimed, was evidence that she had been assaulted by her sister.  Nicol J said

“I am doubtful as to whether this is going to take the matter very much further, but since I am the trial judge and since it will be for me to make any further assessment and since since [Ms Henriques] has not yet begun her re-examination, I will allow brief questions to be put to her“.

Ms Henriques denied that the video was evidence that she had been assaulted by her sister.  The video can be seen on the US Channel, Court TV (at 5.38).

Evidence was heard from Kristina Sexton, an acting coach who was friends with Ms Heard.  She said that Mr Depp tried to stop his wife from acting in roles that involved sex scenes because he didn’t want Ms Heard to do “whore parts”.  In cross examination by Ms Laws QC it was suggested that Mr Depp had simply been giving Ms Heard advice on what films she should be pursuing.

Ms Sexton’s statement can be found here

The next witness was Raquel Pennington, who has been a friend of Ms Heard’s since 2003.  She said that many times over the course of their relationship, Ms Heard had confided in her about Mr Depp abusing her, both physically and verbally.  Under cross examination she said that she never saw Mr Depp hit Ms Heard but she said that she had seen injuries to Ms Heard  on a number of occasions.  Her evidence was summarised by the Press Gazette here.

The witness statement of Ms Pennington is available here.

The next witness was iO Tillett Wright, a close confidante of Ms Heard.  He said that she had told him about Mr Depp’s violence and he had heard Mr Depp shouting at her on the telephone on 21 May 2016.

Mr Tillet Wright’s statement is available here.

The transcript of the evidence given on Day 14 is here.

Closing submissions from the Defendants will be on Monday 27 July and from the Claimant on Tuesday 28 July.

The witness statements and transcripts are available on Nick Wallis’ website.