London Court Hears More Evidence in Johnny Depp's Libel Suit Against Tabloid Alleging He Abused Amber Heard

More evidence has been presented in Johnny Depp’s ongoing libel suit against the News Group Newspapers, owner of The Sun tabloid, though Wednesday’s evidence wasn’t exactly in his favor.

Depp is suing The Sun’s owners after The Sun published a 2018 piece alleging he assaulted ex-wife Amber Heard while they were still married. But according to Page Six, texts between Depp and his doctor that were read aloud London’s High Court on Wednesday seemed to corroborate The Sun’s allegation, suggesting Depp sliced off his own finger while attacking Heard.

Depp claimed in his suit that it was Heard who attacked him. He claimed that shortly after he and Heard married, they got into an argument in which Heard threw bottles of vodka at him, one of which ended up severing his finger.

The texts suggest something different. Per Page Six:

On March 7, 2015, Depp wrote, “I cut the top of my middle finger off… What should I do!?? Except, of course, go to a hospital…. I’m so embarrassed for jumping into anything with her… F**K THE WORLD!!! JD.”

Then 12 days later he added to his doctor, “Thank you for everything. I have chopped off my left middle finger as a reminder that I should never cut my finger off again!! I love you, brother. Johnny.”

Meanwhile, The Sun’s attorneys allege that on March 5, 2015, Depp actually assaulted Heard:

“The complainant mocked her, while touching and grabbing her by her breasts and repeatedly shoved her up against the refrigerator.

“The complainant then grabbed Ms Heard by the neck and collarbone, slammed her against the counter-top and strangled her.”

Heard corroborated The Sun’s attorney’s testimony in an earlier statement, claiming that Depp, who was allegedly on MDMA at the time, threw bottles at her, choked her, and smashed a phone against the wall, accidentally severing his own finger.

“Scared for my life, I told Johnny, ‘You are hurting me and cutting me.’ Johnny ignored me, continuing to hit me with the back of one closed hand, and slamming a hard plastic phone against a wall with his other until it was smashed into smithereens. While he was smashing the phone, Johnny severely injured his finger, cutting off the tip of it. … Once I was able to get away, I barricaded myself in an upstairs bedroom.

Depp’s attorneys denied Heard’s statement and said the texts did not prove their client’s culpability. The High Court judge will decide on Friday whether the case will go to trial on Monday.