Johnny Depp Amber Heard trial live: Heard says ex is out to ‘destroy her’ as he calls

Heard will testify at the trial and will talk about alleged graphic sexual violence against her perpetrated by Depp.

Rottenborn says that Depp has to prove damages against him. He says her allegations impacted his career, but her lawyer says his career was in free fall because of his drinking and drug-taking.

He also refutes the vodka bottle story and says that Depp blacked out for three days during their stay in Australia — one example of his alleged unreliability as an actor.

Depp’s poor behaviour, poor choices, and drinking caused multiple people to suffer for his refusal to take responsibility for his actions, Heard’s lawyer says.

Rottenborn asks of those words that Amber wrote. Are those protected by the First Amendment? And the answer is very clearly yes.

He argues Heard never mentioned Depp by name or specific examples of abuse in the Washington Post article.

He says that this was not the point of the article and she had her lawyer review it for that reason before publication.

Rottenborn asks why Depp didn’t sue the Post. He says that he only went after Heard to “ruin her life, to destroy her”.

Rottenborn says the case is about the first amendment and Heard’s right to write what she did.

He adds that the context of the piece matters and the jury should read the whole article and not just the three phrases highlighted by Depp’s team.

He is now reading the article to the jury.

The opening statement from Heard’s team is now underway, with lawyer Ben Rottenborn beginning by reminding the jury that the case is not about the soap opera elements, but about whether Depp can prove that the words Heard used were about him and were false.

In one example of the alleged violence perpetrated by Heard against Depp, lawyer Camille Vasquez alleges there was an incident in which a vodka bottle was thrown severing the end of Depp’s finger.

Judge calls morning recess as Depp’s legal team finishes their opening statement.

Heard is being characterised by the plaintiff’s legal team as a compulsive liar who covers up one lie with another and used the allegations against Depp to advance her own career and portray herself as a heroic and innocent survivor of abuse.

Depp’s team acknowledge his use of drugs and alcohol but that does not make him an abuser.

Johnny Depp will testify in the defamation trial.