After their split in 2016, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp continue to battle in court over previous allegations. Depp is suing for $50 million in damages and is denying ever being physically violent to Heard. Heard is countersuing Depp with $100 million and claims she was only ever violent during self-defense and defense of her sister. Although there seem to be two sides to this story, here are some reasons for the media to side with Johnny Depp.

  In the past couple of days, it has come to the surface of Heard’s lies concerning covering physical proof of abuse caused by Depp. Heard’s lawyers claimed that Heard would use Milani’s Conceal and All-in-One Correcting Kit to cover up bruises caused by Depp. Further research into this claim shows that the concealer kit came out in 2017, while Depp and Heard’s relationship lasted from 2012 to 2016. This means the kit was released at least a year after they split, making it impossible for Heard to have been using this kit for bruises during their relationship. Although, one of Heard’s nurses, Erin Falatai, later came forward with text messages between Heard and her. In the messages, Heard sends multiple photos that show bruises on her face. When asked what she made of it, Fataltai said, “I am not an expert…I mean there’s color on her face in different areas, I don’t know what’s what.”

  Depp came forward in court concerning the night the top of his finger was sliced off, he brought up why he had lied to doctors when they asked how he had sliced his finger. “I didn’t want to disclose that it had been Ms. Heard that had thrown a vodka bottle at me and then took my finger off,” he said on the stand. “I didn’t want to get her in trouble. I tried to just keep things as copacetic and easy as possible for everyone. I didn’t want to put her into that mix.” When Heard brought a countersuit against Depp, she alleged he had physically assaulted her at least 10 times during the span of their relationship, including the night Depp’s finger was severed. The night occurred in 2015, while Heard and Depp were in Australia. Depp claims after mentioning a postnuptial agreement, Heard threw a bottle at him in a fit of rage. Heard claims differently, saying Depp was on a three-day MDMA bender where he terrorized and assaulted her repeatedly. Even though Depp lied about how he severed his finger, Australian doctors didn’t believe he shut it in a door. Depp claimed the doctor said, “Sir, that is a wound of velocity.” 

  Both Heard and Depp have shown bad behaviors, but society continues to side with Depp. Although they have both been in the wrong at some point, Heard seems to be the one with the underlying anger issues. Not only this, but she has stretched and varied the truth many times. From what has been brought to the surface regarding Heard’s lies and short temper, society has begun to trust and side with Depp, even though both parties have shown questionable behavior. 

  Johnny Depp’s sister, Christi Dembrowski, testified in the defamation trial against Amber Heard. Dembrowski testified Depp and herself were abused by their mother. Their mother would have a short temper that would often turn into violence against her kids and husband. Demborswki said, “As we were older, we decided that once we had our own home, we were never going to repeat in our own homes anything similar to our childhood.” Following the rise of Heard’s allegations, Depp was asked to resign from his lead role in the Fantastic Beast franchise. Disney later came out and decided to dissociate Depp from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise as well. This occurred after the publication of Heard’s Washington Post op-ed concerning domestic abuse. Depp later confessed in court he blames Heard for ruining his career. 

  In the end, both Heard and Depp have unresolved childhood trauma. Each has lied and done things they are not proud of, but at the end of the day, they are only two people who need to work on themselves. Hopefully, each of them receives the help they need to better themselves to stop anything like this from happening again.