Johnny Depp claims assault on Tupac drama set was ‘self-defence’

'The acts complained of by Plaintiff were provoked by Plaintiff’s unlawful and wrongful conduct,' the legal filing reads

(Getty Images)

Johnny Depp has claimed his alleged attack on a film crew member on the set of his film City of Lies was self-defence.

The actor currently faces a lawsuit from Greg “Rocky” Brooks, a location manager, who claims the actor punched him twice in the ribs when he tried to enforce permit restrictions on set, outside the Barclay Hotel in Los Angeles.

According to legal documents obtained by The Wrap, Depp’s attorneys do not admit that the actor or his co-defendants hit Brooks, but argue that his injuries were due to “self-defence/defence of others”, and that Mr Brooks himself “provoked” the actions that resulted in his own injuries.

The legal filing reads: “The acts complained of by Plaintiff were provoked by Plaintiff’s unlawful and wrongful conduct in that Plaintiff willfully and maliciously acted out and conducted his activities in such a manner as to cause, Defendant Depp to fear for his safety, and according to Defendant Depp’s observations, Defendant Brad Furman for his safety.”

The documents add, “the Complaint and each of its causes of action are barred, or recovery reduced, by Plaintiff’s own carelessness, recklessness and/or negligence.”

In a statement to The Independent, Depp’s attorney said: “Despite false media reports suggesting otherwise, Johnny Depp never touched the person suing him, as over a dozen witnesses present will attest. In a court filing, we have generally denied all claims and we will fight these latest sham allegations.”

Mr Brooks initially filed a suit in July, alleging that the assault occurred on 13 April 2017. According to Mr Brooks, the production team had permission to film until 7pm outside the hotel and until 10pm inside the building.

After getting the curfew extended once, he was then told filming had to wrap up but when he informed the film’s director, Brad Furman, he allegedly replied: “Why don’t you tell that to Johnny Depp?”.

Mr. Brooks says he instead approached an on-site police officer but was confronted by Depp, who he claimed shouted: “Who the f*** are you? You have no right to tell me what to do! I don’t give a f*** who you are and you can’t tell me what to do.”

He then alleges Depp punched him twice in the rib cage. Mr Brooks claims he managed to keep his “composure”, to which he says Depp replied: “I will give you 100,000 dollars to punch me in the face right now.” Depp’s bodyguards are then said to have removed him from the set.

Mr Brooks alleges Depp’s breath “reeked of alcohol” and he further claims he had been taking drugs on set.

The legal document then says that a week later, Mr Books returned to the production office, but was sacked for refusing to sign a declaration stating that he would not sue the production company, Good Film Productions.

Mr Brooks is seeking unspecified damages from Depp, Furman, producer Miriam Segal, and Good Film Productions. His allegations include assault and wrongful termination.

In response to initial reports in May, Furman said in a statement to Page Six: “Johnny Depp is a consummate professional, great collaborator and a supporter of other artists. He always treats the crew and people around him with the utmost respect. Movies can be stressful, and nonevents often become exaggerated. We all love stories — there isn’t one here.”

Meanwhile, the film, which examines the investigation into the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., was pulled from US cinemas a month before its scheduled release on 7 September, with no new date set or any reason given for the move.

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