Key moments in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s six-week US defamation trial

PA takes a look back at some of the standout moments of the high-profile US trial, taking place in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Key moments in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s six-week US defamation trial (Michael Reynolds/AP) (AP)

After six weeks of evidence and 13 hours of jury deliberation, Johnny Depp has won his multimillion-dollar defamation lawsuit against former partner Amber Heard.

Here the PA news agency takes a look back at some of the standout moments of the high-profile US trial, taking place in Fairfax County, Virginia.

– Johnny Depp testimony

The actor was the first of the pair to give evidence and opened by telling jurors that he was “obsessed with the truth”.

Over the course of his testimony and cross-examination, Mr Depp maintained he tried to live as a “southern gentleman” and had lost “nothing short of everything” after Ms Heard’s allegations had been made public.

– Violent messages and video footage shown in court

In a video clip taken by Ms Heard, the actor is seen slamming kitchen cabinets closed and pouring himself a large glass of wine before appearing to become irate at being filmed.

Text messages between Mr Depp and fellow actor and friend Paul Bettany are also read out to jurors during which Mr Depp suggests “burning (and) drowning” Ms Heard.

Mr Depp says that he is “ashamed” of the content of the messages but claims that they were based on a sketch by British comedy group Monty Python.

– Psychologist says Amber Heard shows signs of personality disorders

Dr Shannon Curry, a witness called by Mr Depp’s team, said the actress suffered from borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder, which can involve “manipulation tactics to try and get their needs met.”

Dr Curry also said Ms Heard had not suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as the actress has claimed, from her relationship with Mr Depp.

– Amber Heard testimony

The actress took to the stand to recall, often in graphic detail, incidents in which Mr Depp had allegedly been violent towards her.

Ms Heard appeared to become tearful on several occasions including describing events which allegedly occurred in Australia in March 2015, in which she claimed the actor had violated her with a bottle.

– Ms Heard denies involvement in faecal matter ‘prank’

The infamous incident in which Mr Depp allegedly became violent after finding faecal matter on his bed is described to jurors.

Rebutting the claim, Ms Heard tells the court the faecal matter in question had come from Mr Depp’s Yorkshire terrier Boo, which had “bowel control issues” after ingesting some of the actor’s marijuana as a puppy.

Ms Heard denies she had any involvement in the “disgusting” incident and tells jurors that she had not been “in a pranking mood” at the time it occurred.

– Ms Heard says her article was ‘not just about Johnny’

The actress told the court her 2018 Washington Post article is “not just about Johnny”, and that her former partner was “included” in her descriptions of how institutions protect powerful men accused of abuse.

She said the article was about her experiences after the relationship had ended.

– Kate Moss testimony

The British supermodel was one of the final witnesses to be called to give evidence and testified remotely from Gloucestershire, in England.

Ms Moss took to the stand for barely two minutes, during which she denied that Mr Depp had ever pushed her down the stairs, contrary to rumours speculated on by Ms Heard in her own testimony.

Ms Heard’s legal team chose not to cross-examine her.

– Mr Depp and Ms Heard return to the stand

Both actors return to the stand to give rebuttal evidence.

Mr Depp once again denies the “outrageous, outlandish” claims of abuse and Ms Heard urges jurors to remember that “I am a human being.”

– Jurors urged to think of other domestic abuse victims

In closing statements, both legal teams urged the jurors to think about the effects the case had and would have on other victims of domestic abuse.

The actor’s lawyers told jurors that a victory for Ms Heard would be a “profound cruelty” to true survivors of abuse and reiterated once again that Mr Depp had been the victim in the tumultuous relationship.

Ms Heard’s lawyers said that a victory for Mr Depp would show other victims that they would “always need to do more”.

– Johnny Depp performs on stage in the UK

Despite the impending verdicts, Mr Depp travels to Europe where he performs onstage two nights in a row alongside singer Jeff Beck.

The actor appears at Sheffield City Hall on Sunday and The Royal Albert Hall in west London on Monday evening.

– Verdicts returned

After roughly 13 hours of deliberatio,n jurors return a verdict in favour of Mr Depp.

Mr Depp is not present for the verdict, as he remains in the UK.

Ms Heard is in the courtroom and looked downcast as the verdict is read out.