Depp v Heard: All witnesses who testified and where they are now
Law and Crime NetworkWith Netflix viewers reliving the Depp v Heard trial amid the release of the new documentary series, here’s your guide to all of the witnesses who testified and where they are now.
In 2022, the world tuned in to watch the so-called “Trial by TikTok”, as cameras filmed the arduous legal battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. Amid their public divorce in 2016, Heard claimed Depp was an abuser, while the former argued to be the real victim of domestic violence.
Following a UK trial against The Sun newspaper for the accusation that Depp was a “wife beater”, the Pirates of the Caribbean star took his ex-wife to court with a lawsuit in which he sought $50 million in damages for allegations she made in a 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post. In response, Heard countersued Depp for $100 million.
The trial lasted for seven long weeks, with dozens of experts and witnesses from Depp and Heard’s past giving testimony to support or defend each side. With Depp v Heard, which shows both testimonies side-by-side for the first time, now streaming on Netflix, here’s a breakdown of the witnesses who took part in the defamation trial. Warning: Some may find this content distressing.
Christi Dembrowski
Law and Crime NetworkEarly on in the trial, Depp’s older sister Christi Dembrowski took the stand where she opened up about the abuse the actor faced at the hands of their mother. Much like Depp and other witnesses claimed he would do with Heard, Dembrowski said he never reacted when their mom screamed at or hit him.
“Basically he would let her scream and get it out and be done,” she said. “The way you dealt with my mom, he always tried to keep the peace.”
Dembrowski is also in the film business, having worked as a producer and as Depp’s personal manager. She currently helps to run Infinitum Nihil, a production company founded by her brother.
Whitney Heard Henriquez
Law and Crime NetworkWhitney Heard Henriquez took the stand to testify on behalf of her sister about a fight she’d seen between Depp and Heard, claiming: “He’s calling her a f*cking whore, f*cking c*nt, used-up trash bag. They were saying horrible things to one another. She was calling him old and fat. It was a fight.”
She was also one of the few witnesses to have allegedly seen the former couple in a physical altercation, making her testimony an important part of the defense’s case.
Although Henriquez wanted to get into the world of acting like her sister, she’s widely reported to be working in hospitality now.
Isaac Baruch
Isaac Baruch, a close friend of Depp, was brought to tears in court as he described Heard’s “malicious” lie, saying he just wanted the pair to go and “heal.” He said: “It’s not right what she did and what happened, for so many people to get affected from this. It’s insane how this happened.”
His testimony also sparked laughter in the court as Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft questioned him about a particular moment in time, and whether or not he recalled Heard wearing what she called “Amica cream” – seemingly meaning Arnica cream, used for bruising.
Despite explaining that he didn’t know what “Amica cream” was, Bredehoft continued to ask him in various ways about the product, causing him to eventually burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Baruch is still close friends with Depp, and he works as an artist and lives in LA with his wife. You can check out his art on his Instagram page.
iO Tillett Wright
Law and Crime NetworkOne of Heard’s former friends iO Tillett Wright appeared in a pre-recorded testimony where he made a number of explosive claims, including that he was on the phone to Heard when Depp allegedly threw a phone at her during a May 2016 altercation.
Wright, who explained that his friendship with Heard had ended at that point, also denied the allegation that Heard and her friends purposely left human excrement in his bed before going to Coachella festival.
As an author, photographer, actor, and podcast host, iO has been involved in numerous projects. Right now, he appears to be focused on home renovation, saying that he made the decision to “slow down” over the past year.
Dr David Kipper
Law and Crime NetworkDepp’s former substance abuse doctor Dr David Kipper testified in the trial where he explained that the actor was addicted to opioids, alcohol, and cocaine, and that he had been struggling with substance abuse for many years.
His statements were largely consistent with Depp’s own testimony about his drug use and mental health. Kipper – who assisted in treating Depp’s severed finger after the 2015 Australia fight – also said he never saw Depp physically abuse Heard and vice-versa.
Kipper is currently a practicing physician in Beverly Hills, California, where he treats addiction patients. He’s also the author of The Addiction Solution: Unraveling the Mysteries of Addiction Through Cutting-Edge Brain Science.
Debbie Lloyd
Law and Crime NetworkDepp’s former private nurse Debbie Lloyd, who worked alongside Kipper to help Depp detox, described numerous incidents where she was present with the former couple, including during Depp’s 2014 detox on his private island and the Australia fight.
Lloyd said that while she never witnessed any violence between the pair, Heard allegedly “instigated” situations, claiming: “He was going from room to room trying to remove himself from a situation and she would just follow him from room to room and not give him his space.”
As of 2022, Lloyd is still a practicing nurse, specializing in working with psychiatric and chemically dependent patients.
Dr Shannon Curry
Law and Crime NetworkAs a clinical and forensic psychologist who specializes in intimate partner violence, Dr Shannon Curry was hired by Depp’s legal team to assess Heard’s mental health.
Taking the stand in the 2022 defamation trial, Curry testified that she diagnosed Heard with borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder. Explaining her diagnoses, Curry said Heard appeared to be “reactive” with an “overly dramatic presentation,” darting between being the “princess and victim.”
Curry is the director of the Curry Psychology Group, a private practice in California.
Sean Bett
Depp’s bodyguard Sean Bett took the stand at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse where he claimed that while he didn’t see Depp and Heard attack each other, there was one incident in which Heard allegedly threw what looked like a plastic water bottle at Depp.
“I ended up getting him and we got out of there as quickly as possible,” he said, later adding: “I overheard her saying, ‘He’s a fatass, f*ck you Johnny, and f*ck you too, Sean.’”
Bett still works for Depp, helping to oversee his personal security operations.
Malcolm Connolly
Another of Depp’s bodyguards, Malcolm Connolly, appeared as a witness during the trial, where he claimed to have seen numerous fights between the former couple. He said he started to notice Depp had scratches and injuries on him but never saw any marks on Heard.
“What I noticed straight away was most of these marks were happening on the left-hand side of his face, there would be scratches on his neck,” he said, adding: “Maybe a fat lip in the corner, a bruising in the eye socket, it was getting more regular, not every week, but it was definitely happening.”
But arguably the most famous moment from Connolly’s testimony arrived when he was questioned about the 2015 Australia fight, with Heard’s lawyer asking if Depp had been trying to urinate in the foyer, to which he bluntly said: “No.”
He was then asked if he saw Depp’s penis, with Connolly replying, “I think I would have remembered seeing Mr Depp’s penis,” leading to laughter in the courtroom.
Connolly, who worked for Depp for more than two decades, is currently a personal security consultant.
Starling Jenkins
Law and Crime NetworkStarling Jenkins III, also a member of Depp’s security team, shared testimony in which he said he saw Depp and Heard argue twice.
He was also asked about the defecation incident – whereby Heard was accused of leaving human excrement in Depp’s bed before going to Coachella. As per his testimony, Jenkins alleged that Heard described the incident as “a horrible practical joke gone wrong.”
Jenkins is an executive chauffeur and security personnel who works as Depp’s driver and bodyguard.
Travis McGivern
Law and Crime NetworkAnother of Depp’s security team, Travis McGivern, gave a lengthy timeline of events – notably the altercations between Depp and Heard – during his deposition, claiming that Heard would throw things and spit at Depp.
“I have seen her physically try to prevent him from leaving,” he said. “Grabbing his arms, pushing him. I don’t know if that’s physically abusive, but I have seen that on multiple occasions.”
Speaking about a specific incident, he claimed both parties were being volatile to each other verbally, adding: “Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a fist and an arm come across my right shoulder and I heard and saw a closed fist contact Mr Depp in the left side of his face. That was Ms Heard’s fist.”
According to his LinkedIn page, McGivern has been working as a security professional and consultant for Premier Group International since 2013.
Raquel Pennington
Law and Crime NetworkHeard’s former friend Raquel Pennington also testified on her behalf, alleging that she saw injuries on Heard’s face and body after altercations with Depp, including a bloody patch on her head with missing hair.
She also denied claims from Depp’s legal team that she and Heard staged damage to the couple’s LA home in May 2016, accusing Depp of causing the damage with a wine bottle.
According to reports, Pennington is a certified yoga instructor.
Josh Drew
Law and Crime NetworkPennington’s ex-husband Josh Drew gave testimony about the alleged May 2016 altercation, claiming that Depp was “screaming, cursing, spitting in my face,” but that he never saw Depp hit Heard.
Drew also highlighted the Pirates of the Caribbean actor’s generosity, having allowed him and Pennington to live in one of his LA penthouse apartments next door to him and Amber for three years without payment.
As per his LinkedIn page, Drew is the founder of Greenwood Advisory, a development firm specializing in foodservice and hospitality projects.
Melissa Saenz, Tyler Hadden, William Gatlin
Law and Crime NetworkThe testimony of three LAPD officers – Melissa Saenz, Tyler Hadden, and William Gatlin – was played at the defamation trial after they responded to the aforementioned May 2016 incident, involving a domestic dispute claim between the former couple.
Despite claiming Depp threw an iPhone at her face, Saenz stated in court that Heard was “uncooperative” and was only red in the face from crying rather than being injured. These claims were echoed by fellow officers Hadden and Gatlin, who said they didn’t see any injuries on Heard’s face.
It’s reported that all three officers are still working for the police department.
Kate James
In a recorded deposition, Kate James, who worked as Heard’s assistant between 2012 and 2015, made a number of damning accusations about her former employer, claiming Heard would often fly into rages and send her streams of angry messages throughout the night.
In one incident, she accused Heard of screaming in her face when she pushed back about a salary offer, testifying: “She leapt out of her chair and put her face approximately four inches from my face, spitting in my face, ‘How dare I ask for the salary I’m asking for.’”
James explained in her testimony that she’s still working as a PA, and at the time had been employed by the same person for the past six-and-a-half years.
Kate Moss
In one of the most surprising testimonies of the entire trial, supermodel and Depp’s ex-girlfriend Kate Moss appeared via videolink to give testimony in the high-profile defamation case, confirming that the actor had never “kicked her down the stairs” during their relationship, but rather she fell.
Moss’ statement was a huge win for Depp’s side. She wouldn’t have been involved in the trial if it weren’t for Heard bringing the stairs incident up while on the stand, allowing his attorney’s to bring the model in to refute the accusations.
Since retiring from the runway, Moss is now a wellness entrepreneur, having launched her wellbeing brand COSMOSS by Kate Moss in September last year.
Morgan Tremaine
Law and Crime NetworkFormer TMZ reporter Morgan Tremaine hit the stand at the Virginia courthouse where he shed light on Heard’s alleged involvement with the publication, including the video in which Heard was seen leaving the LA courthouse with a bruise on her face after filing a restraining order against Depp. He also discussed the now-infamous clip of the actor slamming cupboards and drinking wine in the presence of Heard.
Although Heard has maintained that she didn’t know the press would be at the courthouse, Tremaine said: “It’s not by any means a celebrity hotspot. We would only ever send people there if we had been tipped off that something was occurring and there was somebody present there.
“We were trying to capture Amber leaving the courthouse and an alleged bruise on the right side of her face.”
As for the clip of Depp slamming cupboards, Tremaine said the version TMZ was sent was “much shorter” than the one played in the trial, adding: “There was a bit at the beginning that was played here in which Ms Heard is seemingly sort of sitting with the camera and getting into position. And then there’s a bit at the end where she’s seemingly sniggering and looks at the camera. That part was not present in what we received.”
The former TMZ staffer is now said to be a self-employed content creator and Twitch Partner.
Alejandro Romero
Viewers were left in stitches over the pre-recorded deposition of Alejandro Romero, a front desk attendant at the Eastern Columbia Building where Depp once lived, as he was seen vaping and driving whilst giving testimony.
Although Elaine Bredehoft tried to get as much information out of Romero as possible, he understandably explained that he would not agree to testify against anyone about domestic violence as “I was not there, I didn’t see anything.”
The bluntly spoken employee even had Depp chuckling, insisting: “I’m so stressed out because of this, I just don’t want to deal with this anymore. I’m tired, I don’t want to deal with this court case, everybody’s got problems and I don’t want to deal with this anymore.”
At the time of the trial, it was reported that Romero was still working at the Eastern Columbia Building, although it’s currently unclear whether he is still employed there today.
Tara Roberts
Law and Crime NetworkTara Roberts, the manager of Depp’s private Bahamas island Little Hall’s Pond Cay, testified about the 2014 visit where Depp had gone to detox. She alleged that she had witnessed an altercation between the pair, and that Heard didn’t know Roberts could see what was happening.
According to Roberts’ account, Heard apologized to Depp and asked him to come back to the house, and when he tried to get away, she “stood in front of” his vehicle. They drove away and Roberts followed in a buggy with another member of staff, where they allegedly saw the pair fighting.
Heard is accused of saying to Depp, “You’re a washed up actor… You’ll die a fat, lonely old man,” to which he said, “You hit me with a can.” Roberts said Depp “didn’t react” and “stood there with his arms by his side.”
Roberts still oversees the island, having worked for Depp since 2008.
Keenan Wyatt
Law and Crime NetworkSound engineer Keenan Wyatt was brought in as a witness to give testimony about Depp’s “preparedness” on set as an actor. Wyatt has worked on numerous movies with Depp, including the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Wyatt explained that Depp would sometimes “listen to music” through an earpiece, and sometimes he’d read lines to him as he “likes to go into make-up in the morning and write his own dialogue and rewrite his dialogue.” On the topic of Depp’s professionalism, Wyatt described the actor as “absolutely prepared.”
Since the trial, Wyatt continues to work in the film industry as a sound technician, his most recent project being the upcoming sci-fi movie The Mothership.
Richard Marks
Law and Crime NetworkHollywood insider and technical forensics analyst Richard Marks was hired by Depp’s legal team to assess the damage to the actor’s reputation caused by Heard’s op-ed in The Washington Post, before being called in as a witness for the trial.
He testified that the op-ed had a “devastating” impact on Depp’s career, and that he lost out on several major film roles as a result. He also claimed that the op-ed made it difficult for Depp to get work in Hollywood.
Marks is the president of Richard Marks & Associates, bringing decades of experience in entertainment law in private practice as well as in-house with major studios and production companies.
Douglas Bania
Law and Crime NetworkHired by Depp’s legal team, Douglas Bania, an intellectual property damages expert, was also called in to assess the damage to Depp’s reputation and career following Heard’s op-ed.
He showed the jury charts and graphs that demonstrated how Depp’s Google search results and Q scores – a measure of familiarity and public appeal – declined significantly after the feature was published. “The public perception of Mr Depp has been damaged,” he said.
Bania is the founding principal of Nevium Intellectual Property Consultants, a company that provides IP damages consulting services.
Kathryn Arnold
Law and Crime NetworkEntertainment consultant Kathryn Arnold took the stand as a witness in the defamation trial, suggesting that Heard’s career could have been comparable to the likes of Zendaya if it weren’t for the “smear campaign” against her.
“When you look at the time frame of when the [Adam] Waldman statements came out [in 2020], and you look at what was going on with Ms Heard’s career prior to the statement and what happened after the statement, it’s very clear to make that correlation,” she testified.
Arnold is an experienced film producer and executive, who uses her experience as an entertainment expert to provide consulting and litigation services.
Dr David Spiegel
In one of many gob-smacking moments of the trial, psychiatrist Dr David Spiegel left spectators in disbelief when he took the stand as an expert witness for Heard’s defense.
Spiegel claimed the Pirates of the Caribbean star had “behaviors that are consistent with someone that both has substance-use disorder as well as behaviors of someone who is a perpetrator of intimate-partner violence,” but his opinion came into question when it was revealed that he hadn’t actually examined Depp.
Under cross-examination, he was asked about Marlon Brando’s earpiece, to which he asked, “Isn’t he dead?!” When Depp’s lawyer Wayne Dennison confirmed this to be true, Spiegel said: “So the answer is no, he doesn’t use one now.”
In another moment, when Dennison asked if he’d assessed Depp’s performance Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in regard to processing speeds, rather than answering the question, Spiegel rubbed his chin while rolling his tongue around his mouth.
After a few moments, he asked: “Do I have to answer that question, your honour?” To which Azcarate replied: “You have to answer questions, yes sir.”
Erin Falati
Law and Crime NetworkHeard’s former personal nurse Erin Falati appeared in a pre-recorded deposition where she was presented with screenshots of messages sent by Heard to her, including images showing the Aquaman star with red marks on her face.
When Falati was asked whether the images were sent to her, she said she had a vague memory of it but didn’t remember specifically receiving them. Speaking of the photos, she testified: “I’m not an expert… I mean, there’s color on her face in different areas, I don’t know what’s what.”
Falati also recalled checking in on Heard via her sister following the Australia incident, to which Henriquez replied to say Heard was suicidal.
Elsewhere in the testimony, a note in Falati’s nursing log taken in 2015 described how Heard was “weepy and sad” after an argument with Depp, and that she had “visible bright red blood appearing at the center of lower lip” that was “actively bleeding.”
Falati is a trained private nurse specializing in addiction and mental health.
Edward White
Depp’s business manager Edward White was questioned by Heard’s legal team about the actor’s spending. White testified that Depp’s financial situation was “challenging,” and at one point the couple ran up a $160,000 wine bill, but that this had since shrunk to “virtually zero.”
White also spoke about Heard’s divorce settlement, claiming: “She was initially looking for a consideration of $4 million, but the demand continually increased,” eventually reaching $14,250,000 of consideration – free of taxation.
There was controversy surrounding the settlement, given that Heard initially claimed she had donated the full sum to charity. However, as was revealed in the trial, the sum hadn’t been paid in full but had only been pledged.
Speaking about how the payments were made, White said: “They were initially contemplated to be paid directly to the charities, the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, for the benefit of the children who require severe medical service, and to the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union].
“During the course of the negotiations, one of the demands, because the contract changed, was that the payments be made direct to Ms Heard.”
White is the founder of Edward White & Co. LLP certified public accountants, which is based in California.
Terence Dougherty
On the topic of Heard’s divorce settlement, Terence Dougherty, COO and general counsel of the ACLU, said in a pre-recorded testimony that Heard did not donate $3.5 million to the organization but only $1.3 million.
When the ACLU contacted Heard about another payment of her pledge in 2019, Dougherty said “we learned that she was having financial difficulties.”
As per the nonprofit’s website: “Terence Dougherty is the Deputy Executive Director for Operations and General Counsel of the ACLU. In this capacity, he oversees the operational functions and processes that support the ACLU’s work in furtherance of its mission.”
Christian Carino
Law and Crime NetworkCAA agent Christian Carino, who previously represented Depp and Heard, appeared in a pre-recorded testimony where he spoke about Heard “spending time” with Elon Musk as she attempted to reconcile with Depp.
Carino appears to still work for the CAA, having previously represented the likes of Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and his ex-girlfriend Lady Gaga.
Dr Laurel Anderson
One of the most famous lines from the trial arrived from clinical psychologist Dr Laurel Anderson – who had served as the couple’s marriage counselor – when she described their relationship as having “mutual abuse.”
Anderson accused Heard of having a “jackhammer” style of communication, stating: “She was very amped up. He had trouble talking at the same pace. Their dialogue, he had trouble keeping up… He couldn’t keep up with her rapid fire way of her conversation. And so he was really overwhelmed.”
Anderson continues to work in the field of clinical psychology and is based in LA.
Dr Dawn Hughes
Law and Crime NetworkForensic and clinical psychologist Dr Dawn Hughes was hired by Heard’s legal team to provide expert testimony on the psychological effects of intimate partner violence.
Prior to the trial, she interviewed Heard for 22 hours, and gave the following analysis in court: “[My] main opinion is that Ms Heard’s report of intimate partner violence and the records I reviewed is consistent with what we know in the field about intimate partner violence.”
Hughes went on to say that this is “characterized by physical violence, psychological aggression, sexual violence, coercive control, and surveillance behaviours.” She also diagnosed Heard with PTSD.
Hughes is currently a clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City, and is a member of the American Psychological Association.
Melanie Inglessis
Heard’s former makeup artist Melanie Inglessis took the digital stand where she spoke about the day the actress appeared on The Late Late Show With James Corden in December 2016.
Heard previously claimed Depp had physically attacked her the day before her appearance on the show, and that she had a busted lip and swelling on her face. But photos shown by Depp’s legal team suggested otherwise.
However, Inglessis, who worked on Heard’s makeup before the show, testified: “When I came to the penthouse to do Amber’s makeup, she had injuries.”
The makeup artist added: “I’m not a medical expert, but it could have looked like somebody had head-butted her lightly, so she had discolouration here under both eyes and the bridge of the nose, and she had what I would call a split lip or something on the lip like a gash.”
Inglessis is a celebrity makeup artist, often working on models before magazine photoshoots.
Gina Deuters
Law and Crime NetworkDepp’s friend Gina Deuters told the court that she had seen the actor using drugs and alcohol on occasion, but that she had never seen him being violent or aggressive towards Heard. However, she did accuse Heard of acting aggressively towards Depp numerous times.
Deuters is married to Depp’s longtime business partner and assistant Stephen Deuters, and continues to support Depp and his band Hollywood Vampires.
Ben King
House manager Ben King, who dealt with the cleanup after Depp and Heard’s Australia fight, described the mess that was left behind, as well as the search for Depp’s fingertip.
King also spoke about restocking red wine for the couple, alleging that Heard would get through two bottles a night and that he was “surprised” she was drinking so much when Depp was trying to get sober.
King was at the center of another viral moment from the trial. While he gave testimony, Heard’s lawyer Adam Nadelhaft objected to his own question, causing a rather awkward exchange in which Judge Penney Azcarate interjected: “You asked the question.”
Currently, King is a house manager for private clients in the UK.
Kristina Sexton
Kristina SextonHeard’s former acting coach Kristina Sexton claimed in her deposition: “As [their] relationship progressed and the fighting got heavier, I would have to build in time because she’d be sobbing at the beginning of sessions, and we couldn’t work until we got her together.”
Sexton continues to teach acting classes and workshops in LA.
Ellen Barkin
Depp’s ex-girlfriend Ellen Barkin – who has starred in the likes of The Big Easy, Johnny Handsome, and Ocean’s Thirteen – gave a video deposition in which she accused Depp of being controlling and jealous during the six months that they were together.
“I had a scratch on my back once that got him very, very angry because he insisted it came from me having sex with a person who wasn’t him,” she testified.
Barkin is still an actress, her latest roles being in The Out-Laws and Poker Face.
Depp v Heard is available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out our other coverage below:
