Amber Heard claims Johnny Depp slapped and choked her during their 15-month marriage
The actress responds to a $50m defamation case filed against her by the actor by detailing the alleged abuse he inflicted on her.
Friday 12 April 2019 12:08, UK
Amber Heard has detailed the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband Johnny Depp in new court papers.
The 32-year-old actress split from Depp in May 2016 after 15 months of marriage, and days later obtained a temporary restraining order against him.
The bitter divorce was finalised in January 2017 amid highly publicised claims of domestic violence and counter-claims of financial blackmail.
On Thursday, Heard asked a judge to dismiss a $50m (£38m) defamation case filed against her by Depp.
The 55-year-old is suing Heard over a 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post in which she described being a victim of domestic abuse but did not name Depp or describe any incidents.
"I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture's wrath," Heard wrote, adding that she felt as though she was "on trial in the court of public opinion".
Depp's lawyers argued it was clear she was talking about the actor and that the 55-year-old had suffered financial losses because of the allegations, which he denies.
In a motion filed in the Circuit Court of Fairfax in Virginia, Heard responded to Depp's defamation claim by repeating her allegations of domestic abuse.
She alleged Depp slapped her, shoved her, pulled her hair or choked her during their marriage.
Heard also included photographs of her with bruises in her face and scars on her arms, and images of damage she claims Depp did to their home.
She also filed screenshots of text messages describing the incidents at the time and excerpts of her divorce deposition describing the alleged domestic abuse.
"Johnny Depp physically and verbally abused Amber Heard," her lawyer Eric George said in a statement.
"Since their divorce, Mr Depp has continued to publicly harass Ms Heard, and attempted to gaslight the world by denying his abuse.
"It is long past time for Mr Depp's despicable conduct to end."
Depp's lawyer Adam Waldman dismissed Heard's allegations as false on Friday and said it was she who was abusive towards the Pirates of Caribbean star.
"The only way for Amber Heard to sustain her hoax is with more lies," he said.
He said he and Depp had collected dozens of videos, photographs and eyewitnesses to back up assertions she was abusive towards Depp and others, and claimed she had punched the actor and thrown a can of paint thinner at his head.
Heard and Depp met while filming on the set of their 2011 movie The Rum Diary.