Johnny Depp witness dismissed from court in Amber Heard defamation trial – latest

During testimony on day two of evidence in the defamation case against Amber Heard brought by her ex-husband Johnny Depp, much was made of the art deco building in which the couple lived.

Between 2013 and 2016 Depp owned five penthouses on the top floor of the historic Eastern Columbia Building on Broadway in the theatre district of Downtown Los Angeles.

Testifying on Wednesday were Depp’s longtime friend and neighbour, Isaac Baruch, and the general manager of the building, Brandon Patterson.

Here’s why their luxury home plays such an important part in the case.

In the defamation case against Amber Heard brought by her ex-husband Johnny Depp, a former neighbour of the couple became emotional during extensive testimony about his friendship with the pair.

Isaac Baruch, who first met Depp as a teenager in Florida and became his longtime friend, lived in one of the five penthouse lofts at the Eastern Columbia Building in Downtown Los Angeles owned by the actor.

At one point on Wednesday, he was asked by Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft if he was angry with her client given all that unfolded as the couple broke up and allegations were made against Depp.

Here’s what he said:

Attorneys for Amber Heard, the ex-wife of Johnny Depp, zeroed in on the movie star’s drug and alcohol use Wednesday as they defended her from Depp’s allegations that she falsely portrayed him as a domestic abuser.

Heard lawyer J. Benjamin Rottenborn resumed his cross-examination of Depp’s older sister, Christi Dembrowski, focusing on a February 2014 text exchange between Heard and Dembrowski.

A friend of Johnny Depp testified as a witness on day three of the defamation trial opposing Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Isaac Baruch was called to testify on Wednedsay (13 April) in Fairfax, Virginia. He took the stand after cross-examination wrapped up for Mr Depp’s sister Christi Dembrowski.

Mr Baruch said he first got to know Mr Depp when both were teenagers in Florida, playing in bands. He testified for a couple of hours, giving colorful testimony that at times drew smiles and laughs from others in the courthouse – including Mr Depp and Ms Heard themselves.

As Depp’s $50m defamation lawsuit gets underway in Virginia, Clémence Michallon looks at the former couple’s history, together and apart.

In an opinion column for the New York Post, Morgan wrote: “I can honestly say that the number of f***s I give about this shamelessly deluded and self-obsessed pair of whiny wastrels could be written on the back of Mycoplasma genitalium, the planet’s smallest living organism.”

Louis Chilton has the story.

Johnny Depp’s sister says Amber Heard called him “old and fat” and that the actor’s family was “devastated” at his marriage to her.

Christi Dembrowski made the claims as she took the stand as the first witness in the multi-million dollar defamation trial in Virginia.

Graeme Massie reports.

The actor appeared to stifle a laugh during opening statements in the case, when Ms Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, told the civil jury of 11 people that “Johny Depp is obsessed with Elon Musk”.

Graeme Massie reports.

Explosive new allegations have been made by Amber Heard about her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, during the opening arguments of his $50m defamation trial.

Ms Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, claimed that Mr Depp sexually assaulted Heard using a liquor bottle during a black-out drunk episode.

Mr Depp was visibly skeptical as Ms Bredehoft made the claims, and shook his head “no” after her comments.

Graig Graziosi reports.

The legal team representing Johnny Depp in the defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard has made their opening statements, with Mr Depp’s attorneys painting Ms Heard as a compulsive and chronic liar who used the allegations she made against the actor as a means to advance her own career.

They claimed she wanted to portray herself as a heroic survivor of abuse.

The attorneys also noted Mr Depp’s drug and alcohol use, but argued that a substance abuse problem does not prove that he ever hurt Ms Heard.

Graig Graziosi reports.