In a major move, Johnny Depp’s legal team has tried to get Amber Heard’s $ 134 million counterclaim dismissed, alleging that there are “open holes” in his case.
Johnny Depp’s legal team made a bold move at 11 a.m., arguing that Amber Heard’s $ 100 million ($ 134 million) counterclaim against the plaintiff should be rejected.
On Tuesday morning, U.S. time, Depp’s lawyer, Benjamin Chew, said that Heard’s defamation case was based on allegedly defamatory statements made by Adam Waldman, an associate of the actor, but could not suppose that these statements came from Depp.
Chew said it was a “huge hole” in Heard’s case.
The removal of the counterclaim would have left only Depp’s defamation case against Heard to be tried, leaving the Aquaman legally most vulnerable star.
The legal offer came when Heartd’s team rested. He will not call any more witnesses, but will be able to cross-examine the witnesses summoned by Depp.
Depp’s team spent much of the day shouting at witnesses, including a senior Warner Brothers executive, whose study Aquaman – pouring cold water on Heard’s claims that his career was hampered by allegations against her.
Depp is trying to eliminate the Heard case
Heard is being sued by Depp for $ 50 million ($ 67 million) to imply that he abused her in 2018. Washington Post op-ed. Although she did not name him, he claims his allegations are false and cost him lucrative roles in the movies.
Ms Heard has objected, claiming $ 100 million ($ 134 million) and alleging that she suffered “physical violence and rampant abuse” at her hands, but that she was defamed when it was alleged that she had fabricated the complaints.
Waldman has worked for Depp’s legal team at various times since 2016.
In several media interviews, he questioned Heard’s allegations against Depp and said he was engaging in an “abuse scam.”
Waldman told a media outlet that Los Angeles police had opened an investigation into Ms. Heard for perjury. However, it was the LA sheriff’s department that initiated an investigation and it was after Mr. Waldman had presented to the police that he claimed that they were heartfelt statements from Heard.
When Heard’s legal team called him to testify, he declined to answer 75 questions, including whether he was acting on Depp’s behalf when he spoke to the media about Heard.
Chew said it was wrong to prosecute the actor for comments made by Mr. Waldman, as there was no evidence that Depp knew them.
“There is no evidence, not even Mr. Depp saw any of the statements made by Mr. Waldman that Miss Heard is suing her for $ 100 million.”
In addition, he said Mr. Waldman was a contractor and not an employee, making the bond between the two even weaker.
However, Heard’s Benjamin Rottenborn denied Depp’s allegations.
He said the allegations that police were investigating Heard for perjury were a “shameful and disgusting example of how long Mr Depp through his agent Waldman would spend defaming Ms Heard.”
He went on to say that there was “a lot of evidence” that Mr. Waldman was working at Depp’s request, including that he was known as Depp’s lawyer when he made statements and admitted that he had spoken on behalf of the actor.
Judge Penny Azcarte was not swayed by Depp’s team’s arguments. He said Waldman was Depp’s legal representative at the time he made the comments, and therefore “a relationship could be inferred” between the two.
He canceled the motion, allowing Heard’s counterclaim to continue.
The study’s executive denies Heard’s claims about the role of Aquaman 2
A key part of Heartd’s argument has been that the allegations that Depp or Waldman made about her giant affected her career, her earnings, and saw her as the protagonist. Aquaman 2 discounted.
But when he appeared on Depp’s team, Warner Brothers executive Walter Hamada, president of DC Films, said that was not the case.
Rather, he said, Aquaman 2 it was built around the two male characters.
“The film was always presented as a comedy of friends between Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson,” Hamada said.
He also said there were delays in registering for Heard due to concerns about his chemistry with lead actor Momoa.
“Editorial, they were able to make that relationship work in the first film, but there was concern that it would take a lot of effort to get there and it would be better to share someone who had better, more natural chemistry with Jason Momoa.”