Featured Image Credit: Credit: CourtTV
Topics: Amber Heard, Johnny Depp, Film and TV
Cameron Frew
Amber Heard has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of domestic violence, a forensic psychologist has claimed.
Johnny Depp's $50 million (£38m) defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, centred on a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which Heard claimed she had become 'a public figure representing domestic abuse', is ongoing in Virginia.
Depp's attorneys have accused Heard of orchestrating an elaborate 'hoax' with the 'clear implication' he was an abuser, coming after the Pirates of the Caribbean star lost his libel case against The Sun because the judge ruled claims he was a 'wife-beater' to be 'substantially true'.
Judge Penny Azcarate has already dismissed two motions by Heard's lawyers to dismiss the case, while saying she'd take advice on the third. Depp's attorneys rested their case yesterday, 3 May.
Dr. Dawn Hughes, a psychologist hired by Heard's team, claimed Heard has PTSD during her testimony.
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Dr. Hughes said it was her 'main opinion' that the Aquaman star's 'report of intimate partner violence' in addition to documents in connection with the case were 'consistent with what we know in the field' regarding domestic violence, as per The Independent.
She also said Heard 'demonstrated very clear psychological and traumatic effects' from Depp's testimony, which has prompted a countersuit from Heard.
Dr. Hughes also spoke about conducting tests on Heard regarding 'both sets of behaviour' between Depp and Heard, showing a 'high degree of serious violence perpetrated by Mr Depp towards Ms Heard' and 'violence more on the mild level perpetrated by Ms Heard towards Mr Depp', she told the court.
Dr. Hughes also said Heard suffered more significant injuries, in addition to sexual violence.
Dr. Hughes disagreed with the testimony of Dr. Shannon Curry, a psychologist brought in by Depp's team who claimed Heard has borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder.
Dr. Curry said Heard 'externalises blame', can be 'self-righteous, judgemental, and can be prone to 'intentional exaggeration' – for example, she's allegedly 'grossly' exaggerated symptoms of PTSD.
Dr. Curry said: "It is one of the most easily faked disorders. Most of us know what it feels like to feel anxious, and a lot of people have seen war movies and movies that depict somebody having PTSD.
"Ms Heard did not have PTSD. And there were also pretty significant indications that she was grossly exaggerating symptoms of PTSD when asked about them."
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