Written by Keionna
This is the complete timeline of the Heard-Depp relationship and abuse allegations from both sides. Before we begin I’d like to add that while I am writing this I am in no way shape or form, siding with either and that the trial is now awaiting the verdict. If you would like to watch the entire testimony, it’s on YouTube.
With that being cleared let’s begin, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard met on the set of “The Rum Diary” in 2009 but it wasn’t until 2011 when they reportedly became involved romantically, during that time Johnny Depp was also dating Vanessa Paradis.
Heard had been seeing Tasya Van Ree before meeting Depp. At the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in September 2009, Heard was arrested for domestic abuse. Amber's charges are dropped immediately when Van Ree claims Heard was "wrongfully charged."
"In 2009, Amber was unfairly accused of an incident that was misconstrued and over-sensationalized by two individuals in a position of power," Van Ree said in a statement provided by Heard's publicist.
“I recount hints of misogynistic attitudes toward us which later appeared to be homophobic when they found out we were domestic partners and not just ‘friends.’ Charges were quickly dropped and she was released moments later.”
Later in June 2012, Johnny Depp announced his split from his partner of 12 years, Vanessa Paradis with whom he had 2 children. After which Amber and he began secretly dating.
"I felt like this man knew me, saw me, in a way no one else had," Heard would talk about "falling head over heels in love" with the actor. "When I was around Johnny I felt like the most beautiful person in the world. It made me feel seen. It made me feel like a million dollars."
A source told PEOPLE that Depp was totally smitten by her. "She is a free thinker," a longtime friend of the actor said. "Her presence has changed his life."
From there, romance rumours of Depp and Amber Heard heat up, as E! reported that Depp was so smitten by her he bought her a horse. They were
The first allegation of abuse occurred in March 2013. Heard claims Depp slapped her 3 times after she made a joke about his ‘Wino Forever’ tattoo. She claims to have a text in which he apologizes for turning into “the monster”. Depp denies the incident and says that doesn’t recall the joke
In March 2013, Depp and Heard had another altercation, which he refers to in texts as the “disco bloodbath”, where he accused Heard of having an affair with someone and backhanded her while wearing heavy rings. Heard claims he hit her so hard that blood from her lips landed on the wall.
A photo taken after the alleged “disco bloodbath” incident is revealed in court. Depp claimed it proves Heard has no visible facial injuries while Heard's rebuttal was that she’s hiding her bruise behind her hair in the photo and wearing red lipstick to cover her injured lip.
In late March 2013, Heard vents to her mother about her troubled relationship with Depp. She alleges Depp was completely off the wagon by this point and in a “spiral”. Depp refers to these texts as Heard admitting he wasn’t violent with her.
In May 2013, Depp had rented the collection of vintage trailers for the night and was given the keys to the oldest trailer. The former owner of the Hicksville Trailer Palace in Joshua Tree, Calif., which Heard said was the site of one of Depp’s alleged sexual assaults, testified that he saw Depp “cowering” and “almost afraid” of Heard as she yelled at him the night the couple spent at his place.
In June 2013, during a night of drinking and drugs, Depp allegedly becomes enraged when a female friend of Heard’s flirts with her. He threatens to break the woman's wrists. He then damages the trailer they were staying in and refers to Heard as a “lesbian camp counsellor”. Depp denied calling Heard a “lesbian camp counsellor”- until a text with the phrase was produced in the court, leaving the “Pirates Of Caribbean” actor insisting he didn’t say it out loud
Despite the turmoil present, Heard and Depp got engaged in January 2014 and were confirmed by PEOPLE.
"Of course, they couldn't be happier to be engaged and excited to share the rest of their lives," a source told PEOPLE at the time.
The proposal would then be detailed by Heard in the trial "It was really sweet, he got down on one knee and said, 'I want you to be my girl, be my girl forever … I want you to be the rest of my life. Say yes to me," she recalled.
In May 2014, while on a plane, Heard alleges Depp confronted her about shooting romantic scenes with James Franco, and accused her of having an affair. Depp proceeds to taunt, throw things at, and kick Heard. He later texts her an apology. Depp’s assistant confirms the incident.
In court documents, Johnny Depp’s former business managers would also corroborate the May 2014 plane assault, alleging they were made aware Depp “kicked” Amber Heard and that he had his team cover up the incident.
In an article from PEOPLE, it states that
[Joel Mandel, one of the managers,] was informed well after the fact through communications with various house staff and security that Depp had been extremely volatile and had sometimes ‘gotten physical’ with Heard,” the actor’s former managers at The Management Group (TMG) claim in legal docs filed in May and obtained by PEOPLE.
In August of 2014, Depp went to his private island to detox as prescribed by his doctor. He was accompanied by Heard so that she could be there when the medical experts were not available, like in the early hours of the morning.
The “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” actor says that Amber would withhold his medication at certain points during the detox.
The actor said "That was the lowest I'd ever felt as a human being, because I had to say please. Please may I have the meds, because it's really kicking in. She was adamant... it's not time." The actor told the court he was begging her before rolling off the sofa "sitting on the floor crying" with "tears streaming down" his face and said he was "begging another human being to please give me the meds that will take this away".
Following the detox trip, Depp seemingly texted Amber’s mother that he “ couldn’t have made it without Amber”.
Another alleged assault episode occurred in January 2015, when Heard claims Depp slapped her, grabbed her hair, and knelt on her back in their Tokyo hotel room. The couple was then seen at the Mortdecai premiere, where Depp claimed Amber was unharmed.
The most serious allegation is from March 2015, when Heard claims Depp held her hostage for three days in Australia. Depp was taking ecstasy and alcohol, according to Heard, and he savagely beat her, putting her in dread for her life.
Depp claims after being requested to sign a postnuptial agreement, Heard lit a cigarette on his cheek and began hurling bottles at him, causing a bottle to crack and ricochet, severing his fingertip. Heard alleges he was hurt when he smashed a phone.
[ “She could not let go of the fact that I was ‘in’ on this post-nuptial agreement and I was trying to trick her into essentially getting nothing if something were to happen ...,” he said. “All I could do was try to calm her down and say I was not out to screw her over or put her into a position that was uncomfortable.”
But he alleged the situation quickly “turned into madness. Chaos. Violence.”]
Depp would eventually admit to cutting off his finger in a text message to his doctor. He admits to dipping his injury in paint and defacing mirrors, alleging co-star Billy Bob Thornton of having an affair with "Easy Amber." After failing to seek medical help for 24 hours, he is admitted to the hospital.
A video of Heard addressing the incident in September 2015 was posted online and presented as proof that she admitted to abusing Depp. Depp asks, "How are your toes?" and an irritated Heard lectures Depp on taking responsibility, despite the fact that the clip gives no background for their disagreement.
In December 2015, Depp allegedly dragged Amber by the hair through his LA penthouse pulling chunks of her hair out. He then allegedly slapped her, head-butted her, dragged her into a bed, and punched her again, according to Heard. She was afraid he was blacked out and might kill her accidentally.
On April 21, 2016, Depp is supposedly intoxicated and high when he arrives late at Amber's 30th birthday party. When Heard confronts him about being late, he shoves her to the floor and tosses a magnum of champagne and a wine glass at her. After that, he trashes their apartment. This is something Depp flatly disputes.
Depp alleges in his court complaint that Amber assaulted him after he questioned her about his tardiness at her birthday party. She allegedly hit him in the face twice, according to him.
A day later in April 2016, a maid finds feces in their bed. Depp blames Heard, claiming she did it as a revenge prank. Heard says her dog was likely the culprit due to having bowel issues. A text is read in court where Depp previously jokes about defecating in their bedroom. Heard’s reps claim that the story was produced in court to humiliate Amber.
A judge rules that it is unlikely that Heard or a friend defecated in the bed after evidence reveals her dog had an incomplete mastery of her bowels.
On May 21, 2016, at 8:06 pm, Amber is arguing with Johnny and asks their neighbour, Raquel Pennington, to come over. Raquel states she heard the argument and entered to see Depp screaming at Heard while she cowered. She proceeds to place her body between them to protect Amber. Pennington and another friend, Joshua Drew, take Amber to their apartment for protection. LAPD arrived at 9:16 pm but claimed they didn’t see any injuries or damage. Amber refuses to provide a statement, and they leave a business card if she changes her mind. Depp denies hitting her.
Following the May 21 2016 altercation, Amber texts nurse Erin Boerum that Depp hit her in the face several times and provides photos of her injuries. A medical report confirms the assault. Nurse Boerum would later testify she didn’t believe Amber’s story and that Depp was responsible.
On May 23, 2016, Amber filed for divorce from Johnny Depp, citing irreconcilable differences. She obtains an emergency temporary restraining order and seeks spousal support. She is photographed at the courthouse with a bruise on her cheekbone, which Depp alleges she “painted on”.
This is the documentation of the allegations made against both Amber and Depp. I haven’t gone more in-depth with all of the incidents because there’s a lot to cover, once again if anyone is interested in seeing the case play out on their own on the Law Crime channel on YouTube.
Here are the court documents from the UK trial where Depp lost and, the judge ruled Depp abused Heard in 12 out of 14 incidents.
Before the thought of mutual abuse crosses your mind, while it is true that both of them were caught up in a toxic environment, there is no such thing as mutual abuse.
In an article, Ruth Glenn, president and CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), disputes the existence of "mutual abuse." In every incident between two people, she said, there's a "primary aggressor."
"I don't believe in mutual abuse. I don't believe that two parties decide to meet in the kitchen and box it out," Glenn said. "It just doesn't sound right, reactive abuse. I'm going to abuse you as a reaction? No, I'm going to defend myself as a reaction.".
My opinion on this case is that I don’t know what happened, while both parties presented their side of the case, we don’t know who the primary aggressor was, and in my belief, I think that this trial should not have been publicized and highly glorified as it was. Making took audios or mimicking the trial for 5 minutes of fame is highly disrespectful for both sides of the party. I just hope that in the future if there ever is a celebrity trial like this, it will be handled with utmost discretion and the parties won’t have to be vilified on social media.
Written by Keionna,
@keionnac on Instagram.