Heard is expected to take the stand as soon as tomorrow.
Depp’s final witness, forensic accountant Mike Spindler, testified Tuesday about his analysis of the earnings Depp lost as a result of the 2018 op-ed, which did not mention the actor by name.
“I concluded that Mr. Depp suffered lost earnings of approximately $40 million,” Spindler testified.
Minutes after Depp’s legal team rested its case, Heard’s attorneys presented a motion to strike the case, a common tactic in civil cases, arguing that Depp did not prove his defamation claim.
Judge Penny Azcarate partially denied the motion based on two arguments, but said she would continue to consider one other argument if evidence is introduced by Heard’s team related to it as they present her case.
Heard’s legal team takes center stage
Hughes, who evaluated Heard and specializes in intimate partner violence, testified that the actress was subjected to sexual abuse by Depp.
She also said that she diagnosed Heard with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hughes testified that Heard was not a client but that she conducted an objective evaluation of the actress in connection with the case. Hughes said she met with Heard for 29 hours beginning in September 2019.
Hughes did not meet with Depp, she said.
On direct examination, Hughes testified that Heard reported experiencing physical violence, psychological aggression, sexual violence, coercive control and being surveilled by Depp. Hughes detailed multiple incidents of sexual violence shared with her by Heard.
Hughes testified that there are therapy notes that correspond with what Heard reported to her.
Hughes said she determined through tests that there were different degrees of physical violence and psychological aggression that Heard and Depp perpetrated to one another.
“What these tests show is that there was a high degree of serious violence perpetrated by Mr. Depp toward Ms. Heard. There was violence more on the mild level perpetrated by Ms. Heard toward Mr. Depp, with one severe indicator which was the punching that she indicated to me,” Hughes said. “Mr. Depp engaged in more severe acts of psychological aggression, whereas Ms. Heard engaged in mild and severe acts of psychological aggression.”
Hughes also said Heard was subjected to sexual violence whereas Depp, based on Heard’s report, was subjected to “none.”
Hughes will be cross examined Wednesday morning by Depp’s attorneys.
