Mama June's Ex Geno Doak a Wanted Man in 'Bama!!! Sheriff Allowing Rehab Stay ... For Now
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Mama June's ex-boyfriend Geno Doak is wanted by cops in Alabama -- but we're told law enforcement isn't planning to drag him out of rehab in handcuffs.
Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson tells TMZ ... Geno has an active arrest warrant out for him after failing to show up to his community corrections program -- part of his sentence for a 2019 crack cocaine case.
Remember, he and June were busted outside a gas station and charged with felony drug possession.
We're told Geno missed the program because he checked into a rehab center after attempting suicide ... and the sheriff tells us he's been in touch with Geno by phone while he's there.
Geno understands his legal obligations, according to Sheriff Brunson, and plans to stay in contact with him as they figure out next steps.
The Sheriff says he hasn't been instructed to rip him out of rehab and arrest him, as law enforcement doesn't think Geno is running away from his obligations.
As we reported, Geno revealed he chased 90 blood pressure pills with a liter of Jägermeister last year ... luckily, he survived and June was able to refer him to a rehab center in South Carolina.
If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK.
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Johnny Depp Fist-Pumps & Cheers for Verdict At Every Stop in U.K.
Pretty ironic, but Johnny Depp's got to be feeling like a conquering hero in England ... where he's been celebrated everywhere he's been since the verdict.
Johnny was waving to cheering crowds Thursday morning outside his hotel in Newcastle, and it looks like security had to shield him from all of the fans as he made his way inside.
Make no mistake, he's feeling like a big winner over his ex-wife Amber Heard -- he even pumped his fist as he turned to walk into the hotel lobby.
This is the kinda public response he's been getting since right after Wednesday's verdict. He was similarly celebrated as he left a pub.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
What's interesting about this is less than 2 years ago, Depp suffered a pretty devastating legal loss in England when a judge ruled against him in a libel lawsuit against a U.K. tabloid that called him a "wife-beater."
Cut to today, after an American jury overwhelmingly believed Johnny did NOT physically abuse Amber -- and now he's feeling tons of British love.
To the victor go the spoils, as they say.
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Amber Heard's lawyer 'Depp's Team Demonized My Client' ... Unable To Pay $10.4M Judgement
Amber Heard's lawyer has a million gripes over the jury verdict ... saying the trial was a "zoo" and the jury was influenced by social media.
Elaine Charlson Bredehoft went on "Today" Thursday and complained that social media attacks against Amber made their way to jurors. True, she said, jurors were told not to look at social and traditional media coverage of the trial, but it was inescapable and unfairly tainted their view toward Amber.
And, then there's this ... Bredehoft groused that the judge would not let the jury know that a U.K. judge ruled Johnny a wife beater. Thing is ... the laws were different in that case, the defendant was different and, frankly, it would have been stunning and bizarre if the Virginia judge just allowed the jury to know about it.
She went on to say Amber believes this case is a setback for women. And, there's this -- Amber doesn't have the means to pay the net judgment of more than $8M.
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Johnny Depp Social Media Support Measured in Billions!!! ... Left Amber in the Dust
Johnny Depp's monumental win was based on the conclusions of 7 jurors ... but BILLIONS of others may have influenced that decision.
Pretty much everyone, including Amber Heard's lawyer, concedes it was impossible for jurors to turn a blind eye to the flurry of activity on TikTok and other social media platforms chronicling the trial.
Now get this ... the #JusticeforJohnny had more than 19 BILLION views on TikTok. By contrast, #JusticeforAmberHeard had a relatively meager 81 million views.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
No doubt, jurors did NOT believe Amber Heard and her claims of domestic violence against Johnny, and the social media support for their conclusions undeniably made them feel comfortable about embracing their conclusions.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
After the verdict, Johnny and Amber posted their reactions, and again ... it was lopsided. Johnny received more than 16 million likes, while Amber's support was a relative anemic 300,000.
BTW ... Johnny has 22.7M Instagram followers, to Amber's 5M.
This trial marked a sea change in media coverage of trials. Social media was undeniably more powerful, influential and omnipresent than traditional media. No contest.
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Johnny Depp Wins Defamation Lawsuit Amber Wins Defamation Countersuit
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4:52 PM PT -- By the way ... Tuesday, Fox Network will air a TMZ documentary on the trial -- "Johnny vs. Amber: From Love to Hate," which chronicles how they met, how the relationship deteriorated, the trial and their future. It's on Fox Network Tuesday at 9 PM ET.
1:44 PM PT -- Depp's legal team just left the courthouse to thunderous applause, even though their client wasn't there ... it's clear to see where the crowd's loyalty stood.
12:23 PM PT -- The jury just found unanimously in favor of Johnny Depp on his lawsuit, that Amber Heard calling him a sexual abuser was defamation. The jury further found Heard's accusations in the Washington Post were malicious. The jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
Now here's the thing ... Amber won her defamation countersuit and was awarded $2 million. The defamation was based on Johnny's lawyer accusing Amber and her friends of concocting a story for the cops under the direction of her lawyer and publicist.
The judge reduced the $5 million punitive damage award for Johnny, because Virginia law caps punitive damages in these cases at $350,000.
Net result -- Amber owes Johnny $8,350,000.
12:06 PM PT -- It appears the jury has ruled in favor of either Amber, Johnny or both on their defamation claims because the judge just instructed the jury to go back and determine damages. We await the verdict and will continue the live stream.
The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case is about to reach the finish line with a decisive winner, or maybe two potential losers -- and TMZ is streaming the announcement at 12 PM PT.
The jury reached its verdict Wednesday in Fairfax, VA -- where they've been deliberating for the past few days after a month-plus long trial ... with lots of twists and turns, but more importantly -- a mountain's worth of evidence and testimony.
They heard closing arguments on Friday, which saw attorneys for Depp and Heard plead their cases one last time in dramatic fashion. Camille Vasquez and co. told jurors to use their common sense, as did AH's lead lawyer, Ben Rottenborn -- albeit with a different spin.
Rottenborn said a decision against Amber will have devastating effects on DV victims -- sending a message to those who choose to speak their truths, but don't have the most convincing documentation of their trauma ... a category in which Amber seemed to fall.
Indeed ... while both Johnny and Amber had ample audio recordings of one another amid explosive fights -- it would appear only Johnny explicitly caught AH admitting to hitting him.
Of course, Johnny wasn't left looking like an angel by any means -- the infamous kitchen rampage tape was played in court, which shows him throwing a fit and slamming cabinets ... all while pouring himself a "mega pint" of wine, and finally catching Amber recording him.
There were also vile texts Johnny sent about Amber, which were shown to the jury as well. Plus, Johnny's history of substance abuse was put under the microscope ... something he owned up to. And, then there are Amber's alleged injury photos, of which there were several.
Amber also got some of her friends to testify on her behalf, claiming they saw the alleged injuries after the fact ... and would often rush to console her after a blowout fight with JD.
Speaking of one of those fights, a memorable moment -- and a total W for Team Johnny -- came when his ex, Kate Moss, took the stand virtually to bat down a rumor that Amber invoked when she was testifying about an alleged staircase tussle, where she said she thought Johnny would throw her sister down ... like he'd allegedly done to KM.
That turned out to be total BS though, as Kate herself said there was no truth to that story -- and it seemed to hurt Amber's credibility, as did other testimony ... a la the ACLU "pledge."
There was also the matter of feces that was addressed early and often ... which made for a ton of meme fodder and jokes online, and almost always at the expense of Amber. As you know, Johnny seems to believe either she and/or a friend left it behind in their bed.
But, Amber herself denied it under oath -- blaming one of their teacup Yorkies, who she said had bowel issues ever since eating some of Johnny's weed. The jury is still out on that one.
All the same, it's clear this trial and all the public backlash against Amber took its toll on her -- she cried throughout this trial, but was especially passionate toward the end ... saying she just wanted to get on with her life, and that she's been left virtually broken from all this.
Now, this matter is going to be settled once and for all in the form of a jury. Even if Amber wins, some feel like she'll be more hurt than Johnny going forward. Time will tell.
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Trevor Bauer Praises Jurors In Johnny Depp Trial ... Amber Heard Got What She Deserved!!!
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Trevor Bauer just sounded off on Amber Heard following the verdict in the defamation lawsuit with Johnny Depp ... saying the actress deserves to pay every single penny of the MILLIONS she was ordered to give her ex-husband.
"It took four years of torching Johnny Depp's reputation over false allegations of abuse to get to today, but he has finally been vindicated," 31-year-old Bauer tweeted Wednesday.
"Thank you to the jurors in this case for rightfully holding Amber Heard accountable for defamation."
Bauer is clearly sending a message here -- the Cy Young winner faced allegations of going too far with three women on multiple occasions, which he contended was consensual rough sex. He recently filed a defamation lawsuit of his own.
While Bauer was never charged criminally, Major League Baseball handed him a 2-year ban after a lengthy investigation ... one of the longest suspensions in modern sports history.
Bauer has maintained his innocence throughout ... saying the only bad decision he made was associating with the wrong people.
As for Depp and Heard, the jury awarded $10.35 million total in compensatory and punitive damages against Heard ... but his ex-wife will only have to shell out $8,350,000.
Bauer's seemingly comparing himself to Depp, who claimed during the trial he lost work as a result of Heard's abuse accusations ... as the ace hasn't pitched since June 2021.
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Amber Heard Calls Depp Verdict 'Setback' for Women ... After Losing Defamation Case
Amber Heard says her loss in the Johnny Depp defamation case is a true "setback" for women who speak out, saying she feels she's lost her right to freedom of speech in the process.
Heard tells TMZ, "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband."
She continues, "I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously."
As we reported, Depp was awarded $10.35 million in damages Wednesday after a jury found Heard defamed him in her op-ed titled, "‘I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath." Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.
Heard tells us, "I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK."
Finally, she says, "I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly."
Heard sat solemnly in the Virginia courtroom as the verdict was read ... Depp was not physically present, but watched from the U.K.
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Johnny Depp I've Got My Life Back!!! After Defamation Case Win
4:57 PM PT -- Johnny's looking every bit the victor, and getting lots of love from the public. Just as the verdicts were announced, he was at a pub in the English town of Newcastle Upon Tyne with guitarist Jeff Beck and others.
On the way out, fans cheered and high five'd him like a conquering hero.
Johnny Depp has a new lease on life after being awarded more than $10 million in his defamation case against Amber Heard ... telling the world he's "truly humbled" by the jury's decision.
In a lengthy statement following his win Wednesday, Depp says, "Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. All in the blink of an eye."
He continues, "False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me ... And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled."
As we reported, a jury found Heard's op-ed titled, "I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath" defamed the actor, and awarded him $10.35M in damages. Heard was awarded $2M in compensatory damages of her own.
Depp's statement continues, "My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life, was only made after considerable thought."
He says, "From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. 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."
Depp also gives love to his fans, many of whom were outside the court, saying, "I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media."
Offering thanks to those involved in the case, "I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth."
Finally, he says, "The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun. Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes."
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Depp vs. Heard Jury Reaches Verdict
The jury has come to a conclusion on who's telling the truth and who's lying in Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard, and they will read their verdict at 3 PM Eastern time.
This was day 3 of deliberations, and the jury informed the judge just minutes ago they have reached a verdict.
As you know, they will decide both Johnny's claim that Amber allegedly defamed him, and Amber's countersuit alleging basically the same thing.
Although Johnny is suing for $50 million and Amber double that, vindication could be even more important to both of them.
Amber will be in court for the reading of the verdict. Johnny will not. A source close to Johnny tells TMZ, "Due to previously scheduled work commitments made before the trial, Mr. Depp will not be physically present for today's 3 PM verdict and will be watching from the United Kingdom."
A rep for Amber is bashing Depp's decision, telling us, "Your presence shows where your priorities are. Johnny Depp plays guitar in the UK while Amber Heard waits for a verdict in Virginia. Depp is taking his snickering and lack of seriousness on tour."
As we reported, Johnny has been doing concerts for the last 3 days in the U.K. with Jeff Beck. He presumably will do more concerts there before returning to the U.S.
TMZ will live stream the verdict.
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Kate Moss Hits Up Royal Albert Hall ... To Catch Live Johnny Depp Gig👀
Kate Moss will do more than just beam in virtually for Johnny Depp -- she'll even show up for him in the flesh ... so long as he's in her town, that is.
The supermodel and former girlfriend of the actor -- who's in the middle of waiting for a verdict with his other ex, Amber Heard, here in the States -- paid a visit to London's Royal Albert Hall Tuesday night ... where she watched JD shred on his guitar with Jeff Beck.
#IStandWithJohnyDepp @SophiaMyles @lizacarter26 Johnny Depp doing what he loves ❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/F3lirMJgyv
— BaileysMum22 (@BaileysMum22) May 31, 2022 @BaileysMum22
There were rumblings earlier in the week that Johnny had invited KM to catch one of his gigs while he was across the pond -- and wouldn't you know it ... she took him up on it!
You can see Kate heading out after the show Tuesday in photos obtained by DM -- where she seemed to be by herself with just a bodyguard in tow ... no sign of Johnny or really anyone else around her as the night wrapped up. Still, it's fascinating to see her out here.
Of course, Kate testified on Johnny's behalf last week during rebuttals -- this after Amber had invoked Kate's name the week prior when describing a fight she had with JD in 2015.
Johnny's team later got Amber to admit she only said that based on a rumor she'd apparently heard -- one in which JD supposedly pushed Kate down some stairs while they were dating in the '90s -- but KM herself shut that down and then some with her video deposition.
Not only did she deny that ever happened ... she actually made Johnny sound fantastic by saying he came to her aid and cared for her after she'd injured herself at the time.
It was pretty incredible that Kate was willing to do this for Johnny after all these years -- in fact, her doing so actually sparked online re-shipping between the two from fans online ... who wanted to see them back together, and who felt there was still something there.
We thought that sounded silly when it'd bubbled up on the bird app -- but after this, we're not so sure ... maybe there is actually an old flame that could be rekindled at this point.
That, or they're just on really, really good terms ... which is possible too.
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Depp vs. Heard Jury Asks Clarifying Question ... 10 Hours of Deliberations
We're officially one full day into deliberations for Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard, and so far -- the jury has already asked for clarification on one issue ... and it has to do with Amber.
The jury came back wanting some guidance on how to handle Johnny's defamation claims. You'll recall he's suing over three statements in particular that were featured in AH's op-ed -- and the jurors wanna know whether they're supposed to look at the headline in isolation, or as part of the entire op-ed.
The headline they're referring to is the one that appeared in the digital version of the 2018 WaPo piece ... "I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change."
The jury's query to the court -- "Does question number three -- "The statement is false" -- pertain to the headline ... or does it pertain to the content of the statement and everything written in the op-ed?"
Today I published this op-ed in the Washington Post about the women who are channeling their rage about violence and inequality into political strength despite the price of coming forward.
— Amber Heard (@realamberheard) December 19, 2018 @realamberheard
From college campuses to Congress, we're balancing the scales.https://t.co/dBSwuJBtay
The answer from Judge Penney Azcarate was to look at the headline in isolation as its own statement and to decide if it, by itself, is defamatory, without considering the full context of the op-ed. Now that they got their answer, the jury continues to deliberate ... so far, they're about 10 hours deep, total.
FWIW, the other two allegedly defamatory statements have to do with Amber calling herself a "public figure representing domestic abuse" and saying she had the "rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse."
It's interesting the jury came back with this ... it seems to harken back to something Amber's attorney, Ben Rottenborn, argued in closing -- namely, even if the jury doesn't buy all of Amber's claims ... her statements in the op-ed are still technically true on their face. He says she did, in fact, speak up and she did, in fact, become a public figure representing DV.
Rottenborn also invoked the First Amendment in his closing argument -- saying Amber had every right to speak on her own personal experience.
Oh, and while JD and AH weren't in court today -- their attorneys certainly were. Handling business for their clients, obviously. Even in deliberations, they're as busy as ever.
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Marilyn Manson Sexual Assault Case Winding Down ... Charges Unlikely
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Marilyn Manson has been the target of a sexual assault investigation for more than a year, but as the case winds down, detectives haven't found solid evidence that'll nail the rocker ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell us there have been, "some credibility issues with the victim" which have made it hard to build a legit case.
Cops are close to submitting their findings to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office, who ultimately will make the decision, but it's hard to imagine they'd charge without the goods. While we're told the case likely won't amount to charges, that can always change if new evidence emerges.
TMZ broke the story, Special Victims Unit detectives descended on Manson's L.A. home back in November, executing a search warrant and seized media storage units -- including hard drives.
Prior to that, cops were digging into abuse allegations -- including accusations he locked women into a soundproof room in the home to punish them.
As we reported, Evan Rachel Wood, who Manson dated back in 2007 has made very public allegations of abuse against the rocker.
In a shocking lawsuit filed against Wood by Manson, he accused his former lover of writing a fake letter from the FBI, pretending to be an agent and hinting at the fact he was under investigation.
Manson claims Wood and a friend of hers then distributed the letter to other victims and media members to make it appear as if he was actually in trouble.
Early in 2021, Manson was visited by cops, and a helicopter was used to search his home after someone called in a welfare check ... so he's had plenty of law enforcement interaction over the course of the last year and a half.
As for the allegations, Manson has continued to deny everything, and sources connected to his legal team say they've worked with investigators throughout the investigation.
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Elon Musk Weighs In on Depp vs. Heard ... Jurors Staying Anonymous
Elon Musk is speaking his piece on the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial -- this after being sucked into the middle of it -- and his parting sentiment to both is ... turn a new leaf, y'all.
The Tesla chief responded to somebody on Twitter who recapped their thoughts on the trial and the standout moments -- a tweet that you could, perhaps, interpret as anti-Amber -- with EM chiming in ... "I hope they both move on. At their best, they are each incredible."
I hope they both move on. At their best, they are each incredible.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 28, 2022 @elonmusk
That's an interesting take -- especially since he dated Amber briefly after her split from Johnny ... and, according to court testimony, also allegedly ponied up fat stacks of cash on her behalf.
On the face of this, you could argue that he sees both of them as deeply flawed ... but also notes a side to each that shines. Weirdly enough, we're not aware of any relationship Elon has with Johnny -- he only spent time with AH, it seems -- so his analysis is a bit cryptic.
As we all heard in this trial ... the COO for the ACLU, Terence Dougherty, testified about what Amber had (or hadn't, rather) donated since making her $3.5 million pledge in the wake of her divorce -- noting they'd only received a small chunk of change from her personally.
Now, Dougherty suggested Elon had donated at least $500k to the ACLU in Amber's honor. Ditto for the Children's Hospital ... another $500k there from Elon too, which also revealed in court. That's upwards of a $1M for a woman he was with for maybe a year. Yeesh ...
Elon was speculated to potentially testify in this case, but he was never called ... neither was Paul Bettany or James Franco, other men who got roped into this thing.
As for where we go from here ... the jury entered deliberations Friday without reaching a decision, so they'll pick it back up on Tuesday to decide once and for all who wins here. Speaking of the jurors -- Judge Penney Azcarate ruled they'd remain anonymous for a year.
She announced that decision Friday before reading the jury instructions -- this, per reports, following her ruling on a motion to do so ... which was apparently filed by Amber.
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Shanna Moakler Anyone Wanna Buy a Used Engagement Ring?
Shanna Moakler's marriage to Travis Barker is long gone, and she's finally decided to cash in.
Shanna's putting the engagement ring she got from her rocker boyfriend back in the day up for auction, and she stands to make a pretty penny.
The 4-carat bling could be yours, if you have a minimum of $51,000 ... that's the starting bid.
She says it's a symbol of moving on ... Travis has found other ways to symbolize moving on, as in marrying someone else.
Shanna told Us Weekly, "I think it is a beautiful piece and truly was my dream ring. However, that chapter of my life is over and even though wearing it at one time brought me great joy, I hope it will find a new home and continue to bring someone as much happiness as it once did to me."
The ring's Cartier, and it's being hawked for sale on Worthy.com. She's gunning for way more than $51k ... more than twice that. She says it's worth $160k, and would love to pocket $120,000.
As for timing ... Shanna says it has nothing to do with the fact er ex just tied the knot with Kourtney Kardashian. She told Us Weekly, "I'm sure people would assume that, but I simply wanted to find a proper seller and Worthy.com is the most professional and I know will give this piece the attention it deserves."
In case you forgot, Shanna and Travis got married back in 2004, they filed for divorce, got back together twice and finally threw in the towel in 2008.
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Depp vs. Heard Fiery Closing Arguments ... Jury Begins Deliberations
12:06 PM PT -- The rebuttals from Johnny and Amber's legal teams were intense ... with Depp's attorney calling Amber a liar and Heard's lawyer saying the allegation is all a hoax on Amber's end and is "vicious and vile."
Johnny's lawyer, Camille Vasquez, went first in her rebuttal ... calling Amber a liar and saying Heard's story was constantly shifting throughout the trial, with the accusations of abuse never the same.
Depp's team claimed Amber gave the performance of her life on the witness stand, but they say she was caught in lie after lie. Camille says Johnny had to sue because it was the only way to defend himself and expose Amber as an alleged liar.
Amber's attorney, Ben Rottenborn, fired back when it was his turn to address the jury ... bristling at Depp's lawyers calling Heard untruthful.
Rottenborn doubled down on his argument that Depp abused Amber in different ways outside of physical abuse, including emotional and verbal abuse. BR also ripped Depp's lawyers for trying to box in abuse as something that is only physical or sexual.
After the rebuttals, the judge read the jury instructions and sent them off to deliberate ... and there was applause in the courtroom.
10:18 AM PT -- Amber's other attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, promised to be quick with her part of closing ... and she certainly fulfilled it. EB raced through her arguments with the jury -- which were all about JD's ex-attorney's statements that AH countersued over -- and Elaine went through examples of why she believes his remarks were defamatory ... mostly arguing, the abuse happened.
She also touched on how his statements have affected her career -- and said Walter Hamada himself -- the WB exec -- testified that Jason Momoa and James Wan emailed him insisting if they were going to work on the second film together, Amber also had to be included.
The takeaway on this issue was ... why would those key guys from the movie say that unless there was some feeling that WB wanted her out. Elaine argues it's clear Amber's star was shot down as a result of this -- and asked the jury to award her reasonable damages.
Court is in recess and will come back for rebuttals, which the judge said would be much shorter. Amber's team has much less time than JD's to make their case upon return.
8:59 AM PT -- Rottenborn just made an interesting argument in closing -- he says not only did JD physically abuse Amber, but suggests that even the stuff he did outside of alleged hitting constitutes abuse ... including the notorious video of him slamming cabinets in their kitchen.
BR was emphatic that what the jury saw there was horrific for Amber to experience, saying that abuse does not necessarily need to manifest in the physical form to be valid.
It's an interesting point ... as many know, DV doesn't just have to be beatings -- it certainly can take shape in other ways, including emotional, verbal, etc. That's kind of what Rottenborn is saying here -- she might not have the smoking gun documented, but what she does have on tape still supports her claims of abuse ... and backs her account as a victim.
8:33 AM PT -- Amber's attorney, Ben Rottenborn, came out swinging in closing arguments with a powerful sentiment -- namely, asking the jury to think about what Johnny and his team are suggesting with their premise ... that if you didn't document abuse, it didn't happen.
Rottenborn went on to list other implications he believes JD is outlining -- including ... if you did tell people, it's a lie; if you did document injuries, they're fake; if you tried to help your spouse, you were actually sabotaging them. BR says these are dangerous ideas to try and cement with a verdict and that they have a broader negative impact on DV victims.
He also said the jury is not here to decide if JD actually abused Amber, but more specifically -- if her op-ed piece and the alleged defamatory statements are protected speech under the First Amendment. He said the two statements in the actual body copy are true on their face, and that she didn't actually write the headline about "sexual violence" in question.
7:47 AM PT -- Chew went through the jury instructions with the actual jury themselves, going through each question one by one and explaining why he feels he and his team have made the case for each -- including the notion that they've proven Johnny did not abuse Amber. He also noted that on the issue of damages, JD doesn't care about money or punishing Amber ... he just wants to be vindicated and to finally get his reputation back in a court of law.
7:25 AM PT -- Chew is touching on what Amber's claims did to Depp's reputation. He invoked his most famous role, Captain Jack Sparrow, and said that JD will go to his grave knowing some people who used to look up to him now believe he beat a woman as a result of what AH has done ... regardless of the outcome of this trial. He also says this is NOT a #MeToo moment ... because no one has come out of the woodwork to say "Me Too."
7:13 AM PT -- Camille just wrapped her portion of closing, and she was effective in detailing each allegation of abuse from Amber and picking it apart in front of the jury. Her takeaway message ... you either believe all of her claims or none. She insisted she and the team have proven, through evidence and testimony, that Amber is lying ... and Johnny is telling the truth -- namely, that she allegedly abused him, not the other way around. Ben Chew is up.
6:32 AM PT -- The attorney addressed Johnny's amputated finger, and said the injury was caused by a broken vodka bottle thrown at him by Amber. She also said Amber's allegation of sexual assault with a liquor bottle was a bald-faced lie ... saying someone who would have undergone such trauma would not simply go to bed and fall asleep.
Vasquez told the jury ... with all the photos and videos of Amber over the years of their relationship, there were no visual signs of abuse.
Vasquez played a damning video where Amber said she donated her $7 million settlement to charity. She says she gave the $7 mil. to the ACLU and Children's Hospital -- she did not.
Vasquez brought up the feces in the bed, saying it was all orchestrated by Amber who was enraged that Johnny showed up late for her 30th birthday party and struck him before he left. Vasquez says Amber wanted more than a divorce -- she wanted to ruin Johnny.
Johnny's lawyer, Camille Vasquez, came out of the gate swinging, saying Amber Heard went to an L.A. courthouse in 2016, filed a claim of abuse and ruined his life. Vasquez also says the mark on her face that was apparent as she left the courthouse, captured by photogs, was fake ... appearing 6 days after she last saw Johnny. She said there is an abuser in the courtroom, but it's not Johnny -- it's Amber.
Vasquez went on ... Amber was desperate for attention and suffered from a personality disorder laced with anger. She said it was Amber who emotionally and physically abused Johnny.
One of the most powerful moments -- Vasquez played an audiotape of Amber admitting she hit Johnny, but somehow distinguished a hit from a punch and called him a "baby" for complaining about it.
The trial of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard is in its final stages with closing arguments set for today, and the jury will then begin the Herculean task of trying to figure out who's telling the truth and who's lying.
Amber Heard Breaks Down on Stand I'm Getting Thousands of Death Threats!!!
Amber Heard says she's no stranger to threats against her life, but she says the death threats are on the rise ever since she and Johnny Depp went to court.
Amber was back on the stand Thursday for day 23 of the trial with her ex-husband ... sobbing on the stage as revealed she gets thousands of death threats every single day from folks who don't like what she has to say about Johnny.
She alleged Johnny's not doing anything to stop the internet trolls who are targeting Amber, insinuating he's almost encouraging it ... and says she just wants Depp to leave her alone.
It's been an emotional testimony from Amber ... she started crying when answering questions about how the drama with Johnny ruined her acting career, and says in those rare moments when she is on a movie set, there are tons of triggers from the allegedly abusive relationship that can derail production.
As we previously reported, the head of DC movies testified earlier this week that Amber's lack of screentime in 'Aquaman 2' had nothing to do with her relationship with Depp.
Amber also says all the negative attention makes it harder for her to do charity work.