An expert psychiatrist who took the stand for actress Amber Heard attempted to explain on Monday why he called Johnny Depp an “idiot” during his deposition, eliciting giggles from both Depp and his attorney Camille Vasquez.
Depp is suing Heard, his ex-wife, for $50 million over defamation he claims significantly hurt his Hollywood career. Heard has countersued for $100 million.
“I didn’t call Mr. Depp an idiot, I called that planning an ‘idiot,'” Heard’s expert psychiatrist Dr. David Spiegel said on the stand.
“I think it was in the context — you probably should read the context,” Dr. Spiegel told Depp’s legal team, explaining his deposition. “If you’re coming to some deposition … he took an overnight the night before [from Europe], and what I think I said was that, if you’re going to do a major thing for a trial that you’re involved with, I think you’d be an idiot to come in the night before.”
Depp’s attorney shot back with the transcript. “So the words, ‘So, I mean he’s an idiot,’ are mis-transcribed?”
Spiegel argued the quote was missing “context.”
“Is idiot a professional opinion?” Depp’s team pressed. “Was it a psychiatric opinion?”
The expert psychiatrist conceded it was not, but again referred to “context.”
Vasquez and Depp both giggled and looked amazed during the exchange.
WATCH:
#JohnnyDepp’s attorney questioned #AmberHeard's expert psychiatrist on calling Depp an “idiot.” @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/a7i7UWK3tw
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) May 23, 2022
During the same cross-examination, Dr. Spiegel oddly moves his mouth, licks his lips, and asks the judge if he has to answer a question from Depp’s team. The judge, of course, tells Spiegel he does.
The question was about Spiegel apparently admitting to reviewing Depp’s acting in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise to help him make his expert analysis. Depp’s team asked if Spiegel also reviewed Depp’s performance in the 2005 “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” to help make his assessment, too.
@mculokii this is by far the worse witness. #justiceforjohnnydepp #johnnydepp #amberheard #drspiegel #fyp #foryou
The highly-publicized defamation trial is nearing closing arguments, which are expected this week. Still, there are numerous anticipated witnesses expected to take the stand, including model Kate Moss, one of Depp’s ex-girlfriends.
Moss reportedly dated Depp from 1994 to 1997. She was not slated to testify in the case until after Heard mentioned Moss while testifying about an alleged incident in 2015.
Depp’s team seems to clearly want Moss to be able to testify. As noted by the New York Post, the actor’s legal team was spotted “fist-pumping” when Heard brought up Moss on the stand earlier this month.