Johnny Depp’s attorneys are rehashing his trial with Amber Heard.
In the A&E special “Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath,” which aired on Thursday, two of the actor’s lawyers, Benjamin Chew and Jessica Meyers, shed light on the highly publicized 2022 Virginia defamation case.
Chew and Meyers spoke about their legal strategy, explaining why they thought Depp making jokes on the stand was helpful during his testimony.
Chew also admitted the lawyers worried the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star might have an outburst during his cross-examination.
“Johnny’s use of humor really undermined whatever serious point Amber’s counsel was trying to make,” he said. “We wanted to humanize Johnny before the jury so they could understand why hitting the woman he loved was something that he’s just not capable of.”
“But,” Chew recalled, “the one thing that we’re concerned about is whether he might lose his temper. The other side is gonna do everything possible to get Johnny to show anger.”
The attorney explained, “One of the things that lawyers try to do on cross-examination is to maintain control of the witness. That’s something that Johnny simply did not allow [Heard’s attorney Ben Rottenborn] to do.”
Depp, 61, sued his ex-wife, 38, for defamation over an op-ed she wrote about surviving domestic abuse despite not naming the star in her article. The jury sided with Depp, and after reaching a settlement, Heard was ordered to pay him $1 million in damages.
Chew said on the “Interrogation Raw” special that the team called Depp once the verdict was read because he wasn’t in court. “He was elated, and he sounded as if the weight of the world was off of his shoulders,” he recalled. “I mean, he sounded like a kid. He was thrilled.”
In a statement read after the verdict, Heard said she was “heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence and sway of my ex-husband.” The actress, who now lives a quiet life in Spain, also said the outcome “sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”
Depp shared that the “jury gave me my life back.” He admitted, “Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.”
Heard’s attorneys, however, were absent from the special. Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, who represented the actress during the trial, told People earlier this year that it was a “huge mistake” to allow the legal battle to be televised, adding, “social media completely hijacked that trial.”
“You should never have cameras in a courtroom for sexual assault or domestic violence [cases]. I hope that the rest of the world has figured that out and that mistake won’t be repeated,” she stated to the outlet.
After the 2022 verdict, Heard did an NBC News interview with Savannah Guthrie, where she shared that she felt Depp used his charisma to win over the jurors. “He’s a beloved character and people feel they know him. He’s a fantastic actor,” she expressed.
As for why being cross-examined on the stand was so nerve-racking, Heard explained, “The scariest, most intimidating thing for anybody talking about sexual violence is not being believed, being called a liar or being humiliated.”
The pair married in 2015. Heard filed for divorce in May 2016, just days after his mother’s death.
