Johnny Depp’s Ex-Wife Will Not Be Excluded From Libel Trial

Johnny Depp’s Ex-Wife Will Not Be Excluded From Libel Trial.

Actor Johnny Depp’s lawyers have failed in a bid to stop his ex-wife Amber Heard attending his High Court libel trial against a British newspaper until she is called to give evidence.

The 57-year-old Hollywood star is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, and its executive editor Dan Wootton over an April 2018 article which referred to Mr Depp as a “wife beater”.

The article related to allegations made against Mr Depp by actress Ms Heard, 34, that he was violent towards her during their marriage – claims he strenuously denies.

The high-profile trial is due to start on Tuesday after a last-ditch attempt to throw the case out of court by NGN’s legal team was refused earlier this week.

Mr Depp’s lawyers applied on Friday for Ms Heard to be excluded from the trial until she gave evidence, arguing that her evidence would be more reliable if she was not present in court when Mr Depp was being cross-examined.

But, in a court order published today, trial judge Mr Justice Nicol refused the application, saying that excluding her from the hearing “would inhibit the defendants in the conduct of their defence”.

The judge noted that it was NGN and Mr Wootton – not Ms Heard – who was defending the claim, but said that “they rely heavily on the information which Ms Heard can provide”.

He added: “She (Ms Heard) will not be in a position to give instructions to (NGN’s lawyers), but she can provide information on which the defendants may choose to act.”

A three-week trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London – which was due to start in March, but was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic – is due to begin on Tuesday, with Mr Depp’s former partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder among the witnesses expected to give evidence.

The court has heard Mr Depp intends to travel from his home in France to London to give evidence, while Ms Heard is believed to have already travelled to the UK from California.

The couple settled their divorce out of court in 2017, with Ms Heard donating her $7 million settlement to charity.