The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial wrapped up more than six weeks ago, but like a championship sporting event with a controversial outcome, observers will continue to debate this thing until next season.
(“Next season” here meaning the time when Heard successfully appeals for another trial, which will land her and Depp wind up back in court.)
In the immediate wake of the verdict, most of the debate centered around Depp’s victory and whether or not the jury had made the right call.
As the weeks went by, however, internet obsessives began to focus on the finer points of the biggest celebrity court battle since the OJ trial.
For example, there’s been a good deal of discussion surrounding some of the high-profile witnesses that Team Depp called to the stand — most notably, Kate Moss.
Moss dated Depp from 1994 to ’98, and interestingly, it was Heard who first mentioned her name in court.
The defendant mentioned a debunked rumor about Depp pushing Moss down a flight of stairs during their relationship.
For Depp’s lawyers, that brief reference provided a golden opportunity to call Moss to the stand, not only to refute the allegations made by Heard but also to provide valuable character testimony.
In one of the key moments of the trial, Moss took the stand to say that despite what Heard may have heard, Depp “never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any kind of stairs.”
Appearing on a British radio show this week, Moss explained her controversial decision to take the stand on her ex’s behalf.
“I believe in the truth and I believe in fairness and justice,” the retired supermodel explained.
“I know the truth about Johnny, I know he never kicked me down the stairs… I had to say that truth.”
Moss was one of several longtime associates of Depp’s who took the stand to testify that they had never seen him engage in any violent behavior during the years of their acquaintance.
But Moss’ testimony seemed to attract the most media attention, not only because of her celebrity status, but also because she had dated Depp for four years.
Another celebrity ex of Depp’s, actress Ellen Barkin, testified that he had a short temper and once threw a wine bottle at her.
But Barkin offered her testimony in a video-taped deposition that had been recorded several years earlier.
It lacked the dramatic flare of Moss’ time on the stand, especially since the model was called in at the last minute following a monumental slip-up by Heard.
It’s impossible to say what sort of effect Moss’ testimony might have had on the journey, but coming as it did at a critical juncture in the trial, it’s safe to say the impact was considerable.
Heard’s first request for a new trial was rejected by the judge earlier this week.
But insiders say the actress plans to continue fighting.
And if she receives another day in court, you can be sure that she’ll steer clear of the topic of Kate Moss.
