Amber Heard ‘s sister Whitney Henriquez has been accused of lying in court when she said the actress had never been violent towards her after a bombshell video emerged today.
Heard’s ex-husband Johnny Depp, 57, is suing News Group Newspapers for libel over a story published in The Sun in 2018 which branded him a “wife beater” – a claim which he strenuously denies.
The actor claims Heard was violent towards him during the marriage, while the Aquaman star claims she only lashed out in self sefence.
Yesterday, Heard’s sister Henriquez was asked whether her sibling had ever been violent towards her or shown a tendency for violence and she answered no.
Today, Depp’s lawyer David Sherborne presented a video, which was played in court, which showed a group of women chatting by a swimming pool.
The court heard the footage was provided late yesterday evening by a person who is remaining anonymous.
In the video, said to have been filmed in 2006 or 2007 as part of a reality TV project, the women are examining what appear to be marks on Henriquez’s face and body and sympathising with her.
One of the women questions Henriquez about Heard “beating her up”.
The woman says: “I can’t believe Amber beat your ass. I know you could beat her ass” and Henriquez says several times: “I’m not talking about it.”
The woman goes on to say: “She really did whip your butt.”
One women asks Henriquez if she got into an “altercation” with her sister and Henriquez replies: “Got into an altercation.”
Mr Sherborne then told the court: “Not only did Amber Heard physically assault her sister, but that the injuries suffered by Whitney are being examined by the women in the video. There is no denial that Ms Amber Heard beat up her sister Whitney…
“At one point she visibly demonstrates her arm and her elbow to the woman asking the questions.
“The party’s case will be that Miss Amber Heard was never violent to Mr Depp. The only time she has hit him was in self-defence.”
He said Henriquez had lied to support her sister.
Sasha Wass QC, for NGN, told the court the video was part of a reality TV show project and was “light-hearted and flippant”.
Henriquez returned to the witness box to be questioned about the video and she denied there was a “physical fight” between the sisters.
She told the court: “They were trying to make a narrative that wasn’t there. Trying to make a really, really boring conversation more interesting…
“It was a really bad reality show. We were referencing a verbal argument me and my sister got into the night before.
“It was nothing other than a verbal argument.”
Henriquez said she did not see any injuries in the footage.
During questioning yesterday Ms Laws asked Henriquez: “You witnessed your sister being violent to others?”
Henriquez replied: “We tussled as kids,” and Laws asked: She hasn’t hit you?”
The witness said: “No,” as Laws went on saying: “Are you sure about that?” and she says yes.
When asked: “Are you frightened of your sister?” Henriquez replied: “I’m not afraid of my sister.”
Depp has denied he was ever violent towards his ex-wife and has accused her of abusing him during their marriage.
Lawyers for NGN are defending their case based on Heard’s 14 allegations of abuse, which include claims of bust-ups between 2013 and 2016.
The actor has argued his ex-wife was abusive towards him during the marriage, which collapsed in 2016.