Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial live updates: Heard's cross-examination continues

Raquel Pennington, a former close friend of Heard’s, gave her testimony via a recorded deposition. It followed the video deposition of iO Tillett Wright.

In a video recorded Jan. 22, Pennington described when she first met Heard and how their friendship changed over the years.

When asked if she considered Heard a friend today, Pennington responded: "I wouldn't consider her a friend. ... We don't speak. We're not enemies."

At some point during their friendship, Pennington said she got into an argument with Heard, in which Pennington said she pushed her and alleged Heard pushed her back.

iO Tillett Wright described what he observed about Heard following accusations from Depp's former attorney that she was lying about her abuse allegations.

Adam Waldman, who previously represented Depp, claimed Heard's allegations were a "hoax" in statements to the Daily Mail in 2020. The comments are part of Heard's countersuit against Depp.

"Amber retreated," Wright testified about her behavior after the statements. "Amber became isolated, embattled and extraordinarily distressed."

Wright went on to reiterate that while he witnessed many verbal arguments between the couple, he never saw Depp physically hit Heard.

"I saw Mr. Depp throw glasses and dishware on at least two occasions, which I would characterize as violent," Wright said after being asked whether he ever saw Depp become violent.

Wright alleged that Depp "mixed substances constantly" and when he did so, Depp became "crazy and violent, so upset and paranoid." 

During celebrations after Depp and Heard’s marriage ceremony in 2015, iO Tillett Wright said he had an exchange with Depp in which the actor allegedly made a remark about punching Heard.

"As we were walking back from the ceremony ... I was walking with Johnny and congratulating him that they pulled it off, that they did it," Wright said. "And he said, 'We’re married now. I can punch her in the face and nobody can do anything about it.'"

Wright testified that he witnessed several verbal arguments between Depp and Heard, but said he never saw either of them be physically violent toward one another.

Depp spoke to iO Tillett Wright multiple times in regard to the fights he was having with Heard, Wright told the court Tuesday.

Wright, who was friends with Heard and became close to Depp while the couple were together, said he often offered advice and counsel to Depp over the couple's issues. He noted that Depp spoke to him in September 2014 about fears he had about Heard being unfaithful.

"I said, 'Listen, you know, I know her I think pretty well, and I talked to her a lot,'" Wright said. "'And I think, I think if she was having an affair, I would be one of the very few people that she would tell. ... I don't hold secrets or lies for anyone.'"

Depp told him that sometimes his jealousy would "make him feel crazy and outside of himself," Wright testified. They also spoke about other fights the couple had, saying Heard would hurt his feelings when she got "mean" and he would then lash out at her and call her names.

Wright also testified about conversations he had with Depp after the couple's May 2014 flight from Boston to Los Angeles.

Heard alleged during this fight that Depp kicked her in the back during this flight, but Depp testified that he did not hit her. He alleged that Heard instigated an argument and he went to the bathroom to pass out.

Wright said he had a conversation with Depp, in which Depp didn't remember getting off the plane or details of the situation.

"He swore up and down that he was going to stop drinking and taking drugs and he would never do it again," Wright said of the conversation.

iO Tillett Wright, who was close friends with Heard at the time that she was with Depp, provided testimony via a video deposition Tuesday.

Wright described how he initially became friends with Heard and Depp, noting he became closer to the former couple when he moved to Los Angeles in summer 2013.

Wright described Depp as "lovely and magical, very funny when sober," but said drugs would bring out the worst in him. Wright said he stopped being friends with Depp in December 2015.

"The substances I saw him ingest with my own eyes were: cocaine and hard liquor, marijuana, ecstasy, mushrooms, wine, probably some other things, but those are the immediate ones that jump to mind," Wright said. "Cocaine and any kind of alcohol would bring out a very, very ugly side of him, very misogynistic and cruel."

When he and Depp were still close, Wright said Depp told him "he had experienced great bouts of jealousy in relationships" with his former partners Kate Moss and Winona Ryder.

Wright went on to detail a number of instances where Depp was under the influence, adding he would "get very mean, very surly, very paranoid."

Heard's time on the witness stand has ended, though she may be subject to recall, after her attorney struggled to redirect following Heard's cross-examination.

Depp's attorney, Camille Vasquez, lodged numerous objections against Heard's attorney as she attempted to address some of the items Vasquez asked Heard over the past day.

Heard's attorney attempted to ask about medical records Heard submitted to Depp's legal team regarding her nose. Vasquez had asked why Heard had not sought medical attention for injuries to her nose in regard to the alleged assaults by Depp, and Heard had testified she sought attention after she left Depp.

The judge allowed objections on the basis of hearsay when Heard was asked about the results of that medical examination by her attorney.

Vasquez also objected to questions about who Heard told about the alleged abuse prior to her filing for a temporary restraining order.

The redirect ended after roughly 45 minutes, including pauses to confer with the judge over objections.

Heard's cross-examination ended Tuesday afternoon after Depp's attorney brought up an article accusing Heard of hitting her former girlfriend.

Depp's attorney brought an article into evidence and read the headline, "Amber Heard allegedly struck her ex-girlfriend at the airport." Heard responded on the witness stand that it was not true, and cross-examination ended moments after.

When Heard's attorney picked up to redirect Heard's testimony, she asked Heard whether her ex-girlfriend made a public statement denying the allegation of abuse.

"Of course she did," Heard said.

Depp's attorney attempted to object to the question but was overruled by the judge.

Reports surfaced in 2016, after Heard requested a temporary restraining order against Depp, about Heard being arrested in 2009 at a Seattle airport. Heard was arrested over a dispute she was having with then-girlfriend Tasya van Ree.

Van Ree publicly denied that Heard abused her during the argument, saying she recalled "homophobic" attitudes toward the couple once it was learned that the two were romantically involved and not simply friends, according to a statement obtained by E! News in 2016.

"In 2009, Amber was wrongfully accused for an incident that was misinterpreted and over-sensationalized by two individuals in a powerful position," van Ree said.

During cross-examination, Depp’s attorney Camille Vasquez questioned whether Heard wanted to move on from the relationship after her lawyers sent a letter to Depp's legal team.

Vasquez described the letter as an arbitration attempt, but Heard said her legal team sent it because Depp had publicly called her a liar.

Vasquez then asked Heard about the timeline of the letter to Depp's lawyers and her op-ed for The Washington Post in 2018, suggesting Heard was the aggressor, despite her past statements about wanting to move on.

"So you fired the first shot to Mr. Depp?" Vasquez said, referring to the legal battles.

"Disagree. We sent a letter," Heard said.

The trial adjourned for an hourlong lunch shortly after 12:30 p.m. ET.