Brandon Patterson
Brandon Patterson was the general manager of the Eastern Columbia Building (ECB) in downtown Los Angeles, where Johnny Depp maintained penthouse units. He served as corporate designee for Action Property Management, the building's property management company, and testified under subpoena. Patterson had no direct involvement in the domestic disputes at issue but oversaw the building's 24/7 security camera system covering common areas and managed the footage preservation process during litigation.
Testimony Impact
Patterson authenticated 87 ECB surveillance clips from May 2016 for Heard's counsel, confirming that attorneys from both sides selected which footage to preserve before the building's 20-day DVR overwrite cycle. He described Depp on camera as "animated," later revising to "upset" once audio was restored — a shift supporting Heard's narrative about Depp's emotional state. On cross, Vasquez used Patterson's own handwritten note on a declaration Depp's lawyer Waldman had drafted for him to surface his recollection of mezzanine footage showing someone appearing to "fake punch" Heard — footage never requested by any attorney and now permanently overwritten. Patterson also described Heard approaching him directly to solicit a statement for People magazine, establishing her active media engagement during the May 2016 period.
Notable Quotes From The Record
“The attorneys from both sides submitted a list of video times and dates to be preserved.”
Establishes that both parties jointly controlled the footage selection process, undercutting any argument that one side cherry-picked what survived.
“These seem very grainy and slow to me from what I remember. But these are taken from Eastern Columbia video cameras during this time.”
Patterson simultaneously authenticates the footage and concedes its quality limitations — relevant to disputes about what details the videos can establish.
“Yeah. I think he's still animated, but with the audio, I would say upset about something.”
Patterson's revised characterization of Depp's demeanor — once audio was available — is the most substantive observation he offers about Depp's state at ECB.
“one of them, what I remember, fake punched Amber in the face, in which they all started laughing and then they walked off screen”
Patterson's own recollection of the mezzanine footage — the only witness account of an incident that was never preserved or produced.
“So Amber came in, shook her hand, and she told me the situation where she needed to have me make a statement to her sources at People magazine.”
Patterson describes Heard approaching him to solicit a statement for press, establishing her awareness of and engagement with media coverage during the May 2016 period.
“The footage was never requested.”
Patterson confirms no attorney from either side requested the fake-punch footage, establishing its absence from the record was not selective production.
“It would no longer exist.”
Confirms the footage has been overwritten and is permanently unavailable, closing off any possibility of its later production.
Key Moments
Patterson describes the ECB camera system — 24/7 recording across common areas, roughly 20-day DVR overwrite cycle — establishing the retention context that explains why most footage from the period no longer exists.
Day 2 · Direct of Brandon Patterson
Patterson confirms Adam Waldman — Depp's own attorney — drafted a declaration for him, a disclosure that raised questions about his independence from Depp's legal team before cross-examination even began.
Day 2 · Direct of Brandon Patterson
Shown Exhibit 3, Patterson describes Depp as 'animated' and explicitly declines to use the word 'angry'; Stemland returns to the clip with audio restored and Patterson revises his characterization to 'upset about something.'
Day 2 · Direct of Brandon Patterson
Vasquez reads Patterson's handwritten note on the Waldman draft aloud, eliciting his recollection that mezzanine footage showed someone fake-punching Heard, after which they all laughed and walked off-screen — footage never requested by either side and permanently overwritten.
Day 2 · Cross of Brandon Patterson
Patterson describes Heard coming to him and asking him to make a statement to her sources at People magazine, establishing her direct, personal involvement in managing press coverage during the May 2016 period.
Day 2 · Cross of Brandon Patterson
Locations
Evidence From Their Proceedings (8)
ECB Surveillance Footage Corpus (Patterson, May 2016)
Approximately 87 Eastern Columbia Building security camera clips from May 2016, authenticated by building general manager Brandon Patterson as true and accurate copies preserved…
Catalog entry →Brandon Patterson UK Witness Statement (First)
Brandon Patterson's first witness statement submitted in the UK Sun libel action.
Catalog entry →Exhibit 1 — Subpoena served on Action Property Management designating Pa
Subpoena served on Action Property Management designating Patterson as corporate witness.
Catalog entry →Exhibit 2 — List of deposition topics from the subpoena for testimony.
List of deposition topics from the subpoena for testimony.
Catalog entry →Exhibit 4 — Document reflecting which penthouse Raquel Pennington reside
Document reflecting which penthouse Raquel Pennington resided in at ECB.
Catalog entry →Exhibit 49 — Floor plan showing layout of Penthouse 3, first and second l
Floor plan showing layout of Penthouse 3, first and second levels.
Catalog entry →Exhibit 50 — Diagram of the penthouse level showing pool location and gen
Diagram of the penthouse level showing pool location and general layout.
Catalog entry →Patterson Handwritten Note on Waldman Declaration Draft
A handwritten comment by Eastern Columbia Building general manager Brandon Patterson on a draft of the Waldman declaration, noting the mezzanine fake-punch footage.
Catalog entry →