'Give Johnny Depp his life back’: Camille Vasquez delivers heartfelt plea to jury
During the closing arguments of the multi-million Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard defamation trial on Friday, May 27, Depp's attorney Camille Vasquez pleaded with the jurors to "give him his life back" as she claimed that it was "ruined" by his ex-wife Heard's domestic abuse allegations. Vasquez, who is the star of Depp's legal team, highlighted noteworthy points from the evidence and testimonies presented during the course of the trial.
Depp's attorney Vasquez told the jurors that as per evidence, Heard was seen as the "abuser" and Depp as the "abused" during their relationship. She added that Depp's "good name" and "life" are at stake as the verdict approaches.
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Vasquez said, "There is an abuser in this courtroom but it is not Mr Depp." She added, "And there is a victim of domestic abuse in this courtroom but it is not Ms Heard." She further explained that during the former couple's relationship, Depp was on the receiving end of “persistent verbal, physical and emotional abuse” by Heard.
Vasquez continued explaining to the jury that her client's "greatest and cruelest injury of all" was after Depp and Heard's relationship ended when she "falsely" accused her ex-husband of domestic abuse. "On May 27, 2016, Ms Heard walked into a courthouse in Los Angeles, California, to get a no notice ex-parte restraining order against Mr Depp and in doing so, ruined his life by falsely telling the world that she is a survivor of domestic abuse at the hands of Mr Depp," Depp's attorney added.
Highlighting the time difference, Vasquez continued, "Today, on May 27, 2022, exactly six years later, we ask you to give Mr Depp his life back by telling the world that Mr Depp is not the abuser that Ms Heard says he is and hold Ms Heard accountable for her lies. What is at stake in this trial is a man’s good name. Even more than that what is at stake in this trial is a man’s life.” Vasquez further continued, "The life that he lost when he was accused of a heinous crime and the life he could live when he is finally vindicated."
Another claim Vasquez made was that Heard was the one who filed a "false report of domestic abuse" and tipped off the paparazzi. Depp's attorney said, "The scene was a setup. The photos captured what she wanted them to see -- the image of a battered woman."
Vasquez questioned the 'Aquaman' actress as to why she had "never before accused her ex-husband of the heinous crime." She further accused Heard of wanting to "ruin" Depp and frame him 'as a villain this time in the full swing of the MeToo movement'. Vasquez further claimed, "She didn’t just want a divorce. She wanted to ruin him."
As she got to the conclusion of her closing arguments, Vasquez pointed out the illogical points in Heard's claims about Depp physically and sexually abusing her. Vasquez presented images of Heard after the alleged abuse that did not show any visible injuries. During her time on the stand earlier, Heard had claimed that she hid those injuries with makeup. In closing arguments, Vasquez told the jurors that while Heard’s allegations “spin a story of horror”, the actress did not seek medical treatment and did not take photos of her injuries, but she did take photos of Depp’s writings on a mirror.
"There was a monster in that house in Australia but it wasn’t Mr Depp, it was Ms Heard. It was Ms Heard who attacked and grievously wounded Mr Depp," Vasquez said at the courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia.
Speaking directly to all jurors collectively, Vasquez said, "You either believe all of it or none of it. Either Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard with a bottle in Australia, or Ms Heard got up on that stand in front of all of you, and made up that horrific tale of abuse."
