The ongoing $50 million Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial has given the internet much to talk about. Among the most-discussed topics has been Heard’s lawyer, Ben Rottenborn, whose constant allegations of “hearsay” have not escaped social media users. But Rottenborn outdid himself when he objected to his own question, says an amused Twitter. The moment provided a bit of comic relief in an otherwise grim trial.
It occurred when Johnny Depp's house manager, Ben King, was being questioned about a fight that the actor and his ex-wife had in 2015. Depp claims that Heard threw vodka bottles at him during the altercation which left him with a partially severed finger.
"You didn't know what could cause damage to Mr. Depp's hand while you were there on March 8, correct?" Amber Heard’s attorney, Ben Rottenborn, asked King.
"Dr. Kipper told me he'd sustained an injury on one of his fingers…" began King, but was interrupted by Rottenborn. "Objection! Hearsay," the lawyer said.
“But you asked the question,” judge Penney Azcarate responded, sparking suppressed laughter in the courtroom.
The exchange has gone viral on Twitter with over 1.5 million views and hundreds of amused reactions.
In legalese, hearsay means “evidence given by a witness consisting of a report of something which someone else has said, rather than a statement of something which the witness has actually seen or experienced,” according to Collins Dictionary.
Depp had earlier drawn laughter in the courtroom when he anticipated a hearsay objection from Rottenborn during the trial, which is taking place in Virginia, and checked himself preemptively. In the middle of giving evidence, Depp interrupted himself and said “That's hearsay, I guess.”
Johnny Depp is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for $50 million over a piece she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she spoke about the domestic abuse she suffered. Heard did not take names in the piece, but Depp alleges that he lost out on work because of it and sued for $50 million in damages.
Heard, who was married to Depp from February 2015 to January 2017, counter-sued for $100 million.
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