Actor Johnny Depp testified that he has never "struck any woman" in his life, reports the Associated Press via Yahoo News
Johnny Depp testified Tuesday that he's never struck a woman in his life, and that he still loves his ex-wife Amber Heard.
The Oscar-nominated actor was on the stand all day in a Fairfax, Virginia courtroom, answering questions from his attorney Adam Waldman and the actor's ex-wife's attorney, Roberta Kaplan.
Depp is suing Heard for $50 million over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote about her experience with domestic abuse. Heard was not referred to by name in the piece.
In the years prior to its publishing, Heard alleged that Depp bruised her face after throwing a phone at her in their Los Angeles home. Depp was not charged with a crime.
Depp and Heard were married from 2015 to 2017. Their divorce was finalized in 2017, but they're still involved in lawsuits against each other. The defamation suit is one of several lawsuits between the two celebrities and their representatives since their split.
During cross-examination Tuesday afternoon, Kaplan pressed Depp on whether he loved his ex-wife and if he ever hit her during their marriage.
"I love Ms. Heard," Depp said before confirming he had never hit her during their marriage or any other time during the 15 years they were
Amber Heard is suing Johnny Depp in a $50 million defamation case against her ex-husband, whom she accused of domestic abuse during their marriage.
Depp testified that he has never "struck any woman" in his life and that he was "never abusive" to his ex-wife, according to the Associated Press.
His testimony comes more than two years after Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post describing the "three years of our lives together as a couple." In the piece, Heard didn't mention Depp by name, but said she became a domestic violence victim.
Heard's lawyers said in court Monday that Depp was trying to avoid answering questions about allegations that he abused his former partners.
Depp denied the allegations against him and said in court Monday that he had never struck a woman in his life, according to the AP.
The actor, who is suing the British tabloid for libel after it referred to him as a "wife-beater," took the stand in the High Court in London Monday.
Depp said he and Heard, who was married to the actor from 2015 to 2017, "were not the best of friends toward the end of our relationship."
Depp described multiple occasions on which he said Heard had been abusive.
On one occasion, Depp alleged that Heard punched him in the face twice, leaving his eye and cheek bruised. A picture of his bruised face was shown during his testimony.
"I remember her punching me in the face with a closed fist," Depp said, calling it a "sickening blow."
"I have never struck a woman, other than maybe my sister when we were kids," Depp said, adding that his mother taught him to stand up for himself, but not to ever hit a woman. "I never have and I never will."
During his testimony, Depp said that Heard was the one who had been violent with him during their relationship.
Depp added that he had left multiple relationships over the years because of concerns about abuse.
"My history has been like that," he said. "Relationships end, and violence happens in relationships."
The actor Johnny Depp has denied ever being physically abusive towards his ex-wife Amber Heard, claiming her allegations are a "hoax".
Depp was speaking on the third day of a libel case brought against the publishers of The Sun over allegations he was violent towards Heard during their turbulent marriage.
The actor is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), which publishes The Sun, and the newspaper's executive editor Dan Wootton over an article that labelled him a "wife beater" and referred to Heard's allegations of abuse.
Depp is seeking damages for lost earnings after the article was published in April 2018, denying the claims and insisting he was the victim of Heard's "hoax".
Depp said he was "shocked and appalled" when the article was published, saying he believed it was a "calculated and manipulative lie."
Heard's legal team asked Depp about his use of drugs and alcohol, which have been at the center of their case. Heard alleges that drugs and alcohol contributed to Depp's alleged abuse.
Depp told the court Tuesday he had been using opium for about 20 years. He said he started smoking cigarettes in his late teens or early 20s before moving on to marijuana, then drinking wine and eventually other substances including cocaine.
He also said he was given pills while shooting movies in Europe that weren't available in the US, but didn't know what they were.
"I consumed them because I assumed they were safe," he said.
Depp's attorney David Sherborne asked him how much he spent on wine each month -- roughly $30,000 to $60,000 -- and if this would be considered excessive by most people.
"I don't know. Most people don't drink two bottles of wine every day," Depp responded.
Depp's reputation as a ladies' man has also come under scrutiny during the trial, as Heard has tried to portray him as a violent alcoholic.