Amber Heard and Johnny Depp‘s court battle continues and as has thus far been par for the course, continues to take some unexpected twists and turns. The latest of these involves neither Deep nor Heard directly but instead actor James Franco. According to a report from The Blast, Franco, who has been subpoenaed in the case, is seeking to keep his involvement in the case and has requested that his deposition and answers be sealed.
Per the report, Franco’s attorney set a letter to Depp’s legal team and in it, indicated that he wanted a document in place that would protect the information he provides during questioning before he even agrees to appear. Additionally, Franco is requesting a clause in the document that would allow for financial damages should the transcripts be leaked.
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Franco’s involvement in the case comes from the actor being seen with Heard in an elevator in Heard and Depp’s apartment building just one day after the May 2016 incident that is at the heart of the legal case. Surveillance video shows Franco entering the elevator and riding up with Heard. Both Franco and Heard exited the elevator on the penthouse floor, where Depp’s apartment is located. Depp’s lawyers reportedly want to question Franco and ask if Heard had any visible injuries when he saw her.
Franco’s involvement is just the latest turn in the ongoing case. Last year, it was reported that Heard had requested an independent mental evaluation of Deep, claiming in documents that Depp’s mental condition was a key component in the alleged abuse she suffered. Depp’s lawyers countered with their own motions regarding the request, arguing that Depp’s current mental health would have little bearing on the issues of the case.
“This is a defamation case in which Mr. Depp does not allege that he suffers from any mental disorder or condition,” the filings read. “Thus, Mr. Depp’s mental condition is not ‘in controversy’ nor does good cause exist under the rule for an IME of Mr. Depp. It is preposterous notion that an IME now would shed light on Mr. Depp’s mental state at the time of Ms. Heard’s abuse hoax back in 2016. Ms. Heard’s effort treads a well-worn path of victim blaming using the pretext of mental health. By Ms. Heard’s tortured credibility logic, current IME’s would also be warranted for all the dozens of eyewitnesses who have attested to the various facets of the hoaxes they witnessed years ago.”
Heard and Depp married in 2015. Heard filed for divorce in May 2016 and obtained a temporary restraining order against Depp, alleging that the actor had been verbally and physically abusive during their relationship. Since then, Depp has been mired in legal issues and last year, Depp filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard following a 2018 op-ed for the Washington Post that Heard wrote documenting her abuse without naming the actor.
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