The defamation trial pitting “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor Johnny Depp and his ex-wife, Amber Heard has been postponed due to the coronavirus.
Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, the publisher of the Sun, over a 2018 story that called him a “wife beater” based on claims by Heard.
According to reports the trial was meant to have started on Monday, but a hearing on Friday was told how Depp is in France at his 37-acre estate, self-isolating.
Depp’s legal team say he cannot travel or even give evidence through a video link. It’s also reported one of Depp’s U.K. attorneys is in self-isolation.
In contrast Heard, who is supporting the Sun’s defense, was prepared to get on a flight Friday from Los Angeles to London for the trial.
A lawyer for the newspaper, Adam Wolanski QC, however has a different interpretation.
Wolanski claimed Depp skipped the trial “not because of the coronavirus, but because he cannot face the prospect of his lies about his relationship being exposed because he’s a coward and because he knows he’s going to lose.”
“As she has explained in a witness statement today, it is essential to Ms. Heard that this ordeal be brought to an end,” Wolanski said.
“She explains that he has for many years used his physical, financial and professional power to embarrass and harass her and people around her, including witnesses.”
A report by the Yahoo website quotes a spokesperson for Heard saying;
“As she has demonstrated, Amber is willing to give evidence on what she was subjected to, no matter the obstacles involved, and from the other side of the Atlantic.
“Mr. Depp, on the other hand, will not even make the effort to leave his palatial estate in the south of France. That speaks volumes.”
Adam Waldman, a lawyer for Depp hit back at the accusations saying;
“Mr. Depp has pursued and awaited justice for nearly four years. The Judge hearing Mr. Depp’s defamation case against the Sun raised safety and practicality concerns.
“Although the case is extremely important to Mr. Depp, he is also uneasy about putting anyone else in harm’s way. These are perilous times, and he accepts waiting until the borders and the courts can safely operate.”
“In contrast, the Sun tabloid fails to read their own newspaper accounts about current events, and exhibit their famous disdain for the British public.
“Ms. Heard’s small coterie of friends and family witnesses, half of whom she sued to compel them to testify, also offered to appear by video link in a libel case for which the reporter Dan Wootton himself is too afraid to testify.”
High Court Judge Andrew Nicol recognized this week the potential impact COVID-19 could have midway through the trial, given the amount of people involved.
“There’s also the issue of if we were to start and illness struck one or more participants halfway through, what would we do?
“Even if you haven’t raised the question, I was going to raise it,” Judge Nicol told the lawyers Wednesday prior to Friday’s ruling.
