The trial is nearing its end with testimony expected to end next week and closing arguments set for Friday, May 27.
Depp’s former attorney declines to elaborate on Daily Mail comments
Adam Waldman, Depp’s former attorney, claimed attorney-client privilege when asked questions about the comments he made in the Daily Mail that Heard’s abuse allegations are a “hoax.”
Those three statements to the Daily Mail made in 2020 are the center of Heard’s countersuit against Depp. Waldman admitted to making the comments quoted to him by Heard’s attorney.
“Did you make these statements on Mr. Depp’s behalf?” Heard’s attorney asked.
Waldman was instructed not to answer to protect communications made under attorney-client privilege.
“What were you trying to convey to the press making these statements?” Heard’s attorney asked.
Waldman was instructed not to answer to protect communications made under attorney-client privilege.
“Did you discuss these statements with Mr. Depp before making these statements?” Heard’s attorney asked.
Waldman was instructed not to answer to protect communications made under attorney-client privilege.
“Was Mr. Depp aware either before or after that you were making these statements?” Heard’s attorney asked.
Waldman was instructed not to answer to protect communications made under attorney-client privilege.
“Did Mr. Depp ever ask you to retract or correct these statements?” Heard’s attorney asked.
Waldman was instructed not to answer to protect communications made under attorney-client privilege.
Depp’s former attorney addresses Twitter suspension
Johnny Depp’s former attorney Adam Waldman said during a February video deposition that he was suspended from Twitter “for life.”
Waldman was asked about having a Twitter account. He said he previously had one, but was unable to pinpoint exactly how long he had it for or when he created an account.
He said he was suspended from the social media platform.
“I wrote several letters to Twitter to ask why I was suspended for life from their platform,” he said. In response, he said Twitter told him that he had violated its policies.
Adam Waldman, Depp’s former attorney and subject of countersuit, testifies
Adam Waldman, who represented Depp and claimed Heard’s allegations were a “hoax” in statements to the Daily Mail in 2020, provided video testimony that was played for the court on Thursday.
The video deposition occurred in February 2022, but Waldman was instructed by another member of Depp’s legal team on numerous occasions to not answer certain questions due to attorney-client privilege protections.
Waldman said he met Depp after his divorce settlement with Heard was reached. He said he represented him in his lawsuit against Depp’s former business manager and other suits.
In response to Heard’s attorney saying Waldman had no personal knowledge of Depp and Heard’s relationship, he said, “I wasn’t there if that’s what you mean.”
Speaking generally, Waldman agreed with Heard’s attorney that it is up to a client to determine whether to follow an attorneys advice or not.
Waldman was instructed not to respond to questions about his role in Depp’s lawsuit against The Sun newspaper in the United Kingdom, his interactions with Rolling Stone magazine on behalf of Depp regarding a 2018 interview, and whether it was Depp’s decision to file lawsuits.
Depp became increasingly ‘less filtered’ and erratic, former business manager said
Depp’s former business manager, Joel Mandel, testified that he saw the actor’s behavior became erratic and displayed “disproportionate” reactions to things.
“I felt things were less predictable,” Mandel said. “I felt like you know I was professionally in a place where I never knew day-to-day what to expect.”
Depp’s behavior began to change around 2010, according to Mandel, and at some point it appeared clear to Mandel that Depp’s “use of alcohol and drugs became a daily event,” he said. Depp’s stretches of sobriety helped but that Depp began to express his discontent in an aggressive manner.
Mandel said that Depp became increasingly “less filtered.”
“People moderate their behavior, they might moderate their behavior in public because things are inappropriate in particular settings … my experience was that Mr. Depp became increasingly less constrained,” Mandel said. “Less concerned with whether he was going to upset someone’s feelings or, or just increasingly comfortable venting in an aggressive way when he was upset or disappointed with something.”
Depp’s former business manager testifies on actor’s finances, spending
Joel Mandel, a former business manager who met Depp in around 1999 and worked with him until 2016, testified to Depp’s income and spending during the time they worked together.
Mandel denied accusations that he stole money from Depp or failed to file required tax returns on Depp’s behalf during his testimony. He also testified that he was never charged or found liable for malpractice during his time with Depp.
The former business manager described how Depp’s lifestyle changed as his star began to rise, saying that the increase in income also came with increased spending to maintain a lifestyle.
“I don’t want to fix dates, it’s a long stretch of time,” Mandel said. “But that meant a bigger life, it meant more employees. That meant buying additional property, buying additional personal property … a bigger life and more expensive.”
Depp spent about $10,000 a day on his personal security guard, Jerry Judge, Mandel testified, offering examples of how much Depp’s new lifestyle could cost. During the time Depp employed a personal doctor and nurses to help his sobriety, he spent $100,000 a month.
There became a point when Depp’s income could not longer support his lifestyle, Mandel said, requiring the business manager to require severe cutbacks.
“The spending levels had grown very, very, very large and require that level of incredibly high income to be maintained,” Mandel said. “And when it dropped off, that disconnect became untenable.”
Depp would acknowledge over numerous conversations that changes had to be made, Mandel said, but often commitments to adjust to new circumstances fell short. The actor’s financial situation became relatively dire between July 2015 and when Mandel was terminated in March 2016, Mandel confirmed.
Mandel testified that he was unable to pay Depp’s taxes in October 2015.
“His financial circumstances in 2015 had reached a point where I was extremely concerned and was on a very regular basis was expressing that concern,” Mandel said. “And it seemed as I increased my level of expressing that concern, there was anger directed, you know in my direction. And so, my warnings in 2015 that we were in very dire circumstances were not met very favorably.”