Plaintiff's Team · Brown Rudnick

Camille Vasquez

Attorney for Johnny Depp who cross-examined Amber Heard and delivered the plaintiff’s rebuttal closing.

2022 Defamation Trial Apr 11 – Jun 1, 2022

5,253 lines 51 proceedings 12 highlights

About

Camille Vasquez represented Johnny Depp as part of his legal team. In opening argument, she presented Depp’s allegations about Heard’s conduct and raised questions about Heard’s pledge to donate her divorce settlement. She later examined witnesses about the limits of their firsthand knowledge. Kate James testified that she had not observed injuries on Heard during her employment. Raquel Pennington and Melanie Inglessis described injuries they saw on Heard, but neither said she had witnessed Depp inflict them.

In cross-examining Heard, Vasquez used recordings, photographs and prior statements to challenge Heard’s accounts of alleged abuse and to distinguish money pledged to charity from money paid. Heard maintained that Depp had abused her, denied fabricating injury evidence and testified that a specialist had documented nose injuries. Vasquez also challenged a defense hand surgeon’s opinion about Depp’s finger injury. He acknowledged that he could not rule out a vodka bottle as the cause, but maintained on redirect that the injury pattern was inconsistent with the mechanism Depp had described.

Near the end of testimony, Vasquez questioned Heard using Morgan Night’s account of the Hicksville visit and Morgan Tremaine’s account of TMZ’s coverage. Night’s observations were brief and partial; Tremaine did not identify the original source of TMZ’s courthouse tip and said he did not know who supplied the cabinet video. Vasquez shared Depp’s closing argument with Benjamin Chew and delivered the plaintiff’s rebuttal, arguing that Heard’s accounts were not credible and contesting her counterclaim over statements by Depp’s attorney Adam Waldman.

Trial Record (51)

2022 Defamation Trial Apr 11, 2022 – Jun 1, 2022 51 proceedings

Day 0 April 11, 2022

Jury Selection Jury Selection 666

Summary

Jury selection before Judge Azcarate: hardship excusals, individual voir dire on pretrial publicity, and attorney questioning of the 21-person panel.

Day 1 April 12, 2022

Opening Opening Statement — Plaintiff's Case Benjamin Chew 1 38

Summary

Benjamin Chew and Camille Vasquez outline Depp's theory that Heard fabricated abuse allegations to control him and advance her career, causing irreparable harm to his reputation.

Highlights (1)

Quote

“Mr. Depp will go to his grave knowing that whatever he does, there are people out there in this world who will always believe that he abused a woman.”

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Colloquy Post-Testimony Exhibit Rulings and Juror Contact Issue 5

Summary

Judge rules on admissibility of text message exhibits 163, 210, and 214, then addresses a sidebar report of a juror waving at Johnny Depp.

Day 2 April 13, 2022

Cross Cross-Examination of Brandon Patterson Brandon Patterson Camille Vasquez 127

Summary

Vasquez authenticated 17 ECB surveillance clips as business records, then elicited that footage of a "fake punch" near Heard was never requested by any attorney and no longer exists.

Day 3 April 14, 2022

Direct Direct Examination of Kate James Kate James J. Benjamin Rottenborn 12

Summary

Heard's counsel questions ex-personal assistant on Waldman contacts, absence of observed violence, and impeaches her with contradictory UK trial testimony about a Depp text.

Cross Cross Examination of Kate James Kate James Camille Vasquez 163

Summary

Vasquez elicits James's account of three years as Heard's assistant: no injuries observed, Depp described as peaceful, and Heard's verbal abuse and substance use detailed.

Colloquy Witness Struck, Front Row Rule Set After Eve Barlow Incident 1 4

Summary

Judge Azcarate strikes Gina Deuters' testimony after she admits watching trial clips, then bars non-legal-team from front row following Eve Barlow's note-passing.

Highlights (1)

Quote

“She has been passing notes to Ms. Heard during this trial. She passed up a cell phone with an undated screenshot picture of Ms. Deuters' post that's two years old. That's highly inappropriate in our view.”

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Day 4 April 18, 2022

Direct Direct Examination of Sean Bett Sean Bett Camille Vasquez 209

Summary

Depp's security guard testifies he photographed Depp's 2015 injuries, never observed injuries on Heard, and witnessed no violence by Depp against Heard including on May 21, 2016.

Day 5 April 19, 2022

Cross Cross Examination of Sean Bett Sean Bett J. Benjamin Rottenborn 10

Summary

Rottenborn challenges Bett's credibility through text message impeachment, deposition contradictions, and surveillance video showing a 90-minute stay Bett had significantly underestimated.

Redirect Redirect Examination of Sean Bett Sean Bett Camille Vasquez 23

Summary

Vasquez rehabilitates Bett on May 21 sobriety and penthouse layout, and closes with Bett stating his safety concerns were for Depp alone.

Day 7 April 21, 2022

Cross Cross Examination of Johnny Depp (Continued) Johnny Depp J. Benjamin Rottenborn 13

Summary

Rottenborn impeached Depp with violent texts about Heard, drug-use admissions contradicting claimed sobriety, and inconsistencies in his Australia finger-injury account.

Day 10 April 27, 2022

Colloquy Exhibit Rulings for Wasser, Carino, and Dougherty Depositions 1 35

Summary

Pre-deposition sidebar where Judge Azcarate ruled on exhibit admissibility for three upcoming deposition playbacks: Laura Wasser, Christian Carino, and ACLU's Terence Dougherty.

Highlights (1)

Quote

“Because she asked him to set up the meeting after she had the TRO entered against him to breach the temporary restraining order”

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Day 13 May 3, 2022

Colloquy Motion to Strike Argued; Plaintiff Rests, Defense Begins 7

Summary

Plaintiff rests; defense moves to strike all three defamatory statements; judge denies as to statements 2 and 3 and takes statement 1 under advisement.

Day 14 May 4, 2022

Direct Direct Examination of Amber Heard Amber Heard Elaine Bredehoft 55

Summary

Heard testifies about her Texas upbringing, her romance with Depp beginning in 2011, and alleged escalating physical and sexual abuse incidents from 2012 to 2013.

Day 15 May 5, 2022

Direct Amber Heard Direct Examination (Continued) Amber Heard Elaine Bredehoft 209

Summary

Heard's direct continues through alleged abuse incidents: Tokyo 2013, London Fields, Met Gala, Boston plane, Bahamas detox, and the three-day Australia incident including alleged bottle assault.

Day 16 May 16, 2022

Direct Amber Heard Direct Examination (Continued) Amber Heard Elaine Bredehoft 251

Summary

Heard walks the jury through April 2015–May 2016 alleged abuse, culminating in a detailed account of the May 21, 2016 penthouse phone-throwing incident, with photos and audio admitted.

Colloquy Motion to Admit Heard's Prior Violence Incidents 10

Summary

Judge rules at sidebar on Depp's motion to admit Heard's alleged prior violent conduct toward Tasya van Ree and Rocky Pennington for impeachment.

Cross Cross Examination of Amber Heard Amber Heard Camille Vasquez 535

Summary

Vasquez opens Heard's cross with audio recordings and event photographs showing no visible injuries, then presses Heard on her public pledge to donate the $7 million divorce settlement.

Day 17 May 17, 2022

Colloquy Photo Metadata Ruling; Deposition De-Designation Dispute 6

Summary

Judge sustains objection to Heard's photo metadata exhibits and rules Heard's team may continue de-designating deposition clips under the 61-hour time constraint.

Cross Cross Examination of Amber Heard Amber Heard Camille Vasquez 1,244

Summary

Vasquez cross-examines Heard across Australia, penthouse, Bahamas, 30th birthday, May 21 and the op-ed, repeatedly contrasting her testimony with recordings, photos, witness accounts and the UK record.

Redirect Redirect Examination of Amber Heard Amber Heard Elaine Bredehoft 89

Summary

Bredehoft rehabilitates Heard on TMZ connections, Depp's post-mediation love note, ENT nose injuries, December 2015 Falati reporting, and Waldman's UK trial conduct.

Direct Direct Examination of Raquel Pennington Raquel Pennington Camille Vasquez 145

Summary

Vasquez examines Heard's close friend Raquel Pennington on prior legal statements, drug use, a physical altercation at Holly Drive, and the limits of her Hicksville observations.

Day 18 May 18, 2022

Direct Direct Examination of Raquel Pennington (Cont.) Raquel Pennington Camille Vasquez 243

Summary

Vasquez cross-examines Pennington, who describes injuries observed on Heard across multiple incidents but concedes she never personally witnessed Depp strike, throw anything at, or physically injure Heard.

Direct Direct Examination of Elizabeth Marz Elizabeth Marz Camille Vasquez 93

Summary

Heard acquaintance Elizabeth Marz describes Depp bursting into penthouse 5 intoxicated on May 21, 2016, and seeing Heard's swollen face in the aftermath.

Direct Direct Examination of Melanie Inglessis Melanie Inglessis Elaine Bredehoft 3

Summary

Heard's makeup artist describes facial injuries she observed on December 16, 2015 and the specialized techniques she used to conceal them for Heard's James Corden show appearance.

Cross Cross Examination of Melanie Inglessis Melanie Inglessis Camille Vasquez 106

Summary

Vasquez establishes Inglessis never witnessed Depp abuse Heard and that all her knowledge of alleged incidents came exclusively from Heard or Heard's friends.

Cross Cross-Examination of Kristina Sexton Kristina Sexton Camille Vasquez 33

Summary

Vasquez establishes Sexton first heard of the Australia rape allegation post-attorney prep and that Sexton never witnessed Depp be physically violent toward Heard.

Day 20 May 23, 2022

Direct Direct Examination of Richard Moore Richard Moore J. Benjamin Rottenborn 6

Summary

Defense orthopedic expert Richard Moore testifies Depp's finger injury is inconsistent with a thrown vodka bottle, citing intact nail, palmar tissue loss, and absent glass.

Cross Cross Examination of Richard Moore Richard Moore Camille Vasquez 2 94

Summary

Vasquez challenges Moore's finger-injury opinion, establishing he never examined Depp, didn't review bar-scene photos, and could not rule out a vodka bottle as the cause.

Highlights (2)

Quote

“I can't rule anything out completely. I can't rule out that he caught it in the door, cut it with a knife, or slammed it in the car door. Or again, as Dr. Gilmer said, we can't definitively say what caused this injury.”

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Quote

“did you consider Dr. Kipper's deposition testimony that while Dr. Kipper was providing emergency treatment for Mr. Depp's finger injury in Australia in the driveway of the house, Mr. Depp told him that his finger was injured when Ms. Heard threw a vodka bottle at him?”

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Redirect Redirect Examination of Richard Moore Richard Moore J. Benjamin Rottenborn 5

Summary

Rottenborn rehabilitates defense hand expert Moore, who reaffirms that Depp's vodka-bottle account is inconsistent with the finger injury pattern.

Day 21 May 24, 2022

Colloquy Defense Rests; Motion to Strike Counterclaims Denied 1 31

Summary

Defense rests; judge denies Depp's motion to strike Heard's counterclaims; sidebar resolves disputes over six late-identified rebuttal witnesses before jury enters.

Highlights (1)

Quote

“He worked for TMZ, and he will testify that TMZ did receive the video from Ms. Heard, also was directed to be there on May 27th, 2016, to take certain pictures of her face, where she would be.”

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Colloquy Sidebar — Dr. Kulber Admissibility and Scope 16

Summary

Sidebar resolves Dr. Kulber's admissibility as a rebuttal witness; court limits his testimony to the state of Depp's hand after the March 2015 finger surgery.

Direct Direct Examination of Doug Bania (Recall) Doug Bania Rebecca Lecaroz 14

Summary

Recalled expert Doug Bania rebuts Schnell's Twitter analysis and Arnold's comparable-actor claims, concluding neither proved the Waldman statements caused economic harm to Heard.

Direct Direct Examination of Morgan Night Morgan Night Camille Vasquez 64

Summary

Night, former Hicksville Trailer Palace owner, describes Heard yelling at Depp during their 2013 stay and a broken light fixture found the next morning.

Cross Cross Examination of Morgan Night Morgan Night Elaine Bredehoft 9

Summary

Bredehoft impeaches Night via his pro-Depp tweet and connection to Depp's first wife, then constrains his testimony to a brief, partial view of the Hicksville visit.

Redirect Redirect Examination of Morgan Night Morgan Night Camille Vasquez 11

Summary

Vasquez redirects to establish Night was contacted by Depp's team, not the reverse, and testified only to share what he personally observed.

Cross Cross Examination of Jennifer Howell Jennifer Howell Camille Vasquez 31

Summary

Howell testifies she never witnessed Depp use drugs or Heard disclose abuse, confirms she pays her own fees, and introduces an email urging Whitney Henriquez to tell the truth.

Day 22 May 25, 2022

Colloquy Preliminary Matters — Rebuttal Witness Rulings 1 22

Summary

Sidebar rulings admit Beverly Leonard for limited impeachment, restrict Kate Moss to staircase testimony, and exclude Dr. Collins and Bryan Neumeister as rebuttal experts.

Highlights (1)

Quote

“She observed Ms. Heard hit Ms. van Ree and rip off her necklace, leaving marks on her neck.”

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Colloquy Rebuttal Expert Exclusion; Depp Returns to Testify 10

Summary

Post-recess sidebar excludes Dr. Collins as rebuttal expert; Neumeister ruling deferred to noon; defense discloses Hughes and Heard as rebuttal witnesses; Depp recalled.

Colloquy Neumeister Scope Ruling; TMZ Intervention Denied 13

Summary

The court limited Neumeister's rebuttal testimony to photographs in evidence and their EXIF metadata, denied use of the UK trial judgment, and rejected TMZ's intervention motion.

Direct Direct Examination of Morgan Tremaine Morgan Tremaine Camille Vasquez 66

Summary

Former TMZ field manager describes tip-driven coverage of Heard's 2016 courthouse appearance and a shorter cabinet video; he did not identify who supplied either.

Cross Cross Examination of Morgan Tremaine Morgan Tremaine Elaine Bredehoft 6

Summary

Bredehoft challenged Tremaine's motives and probed whether TMZ's tips about Heard's TRO filing originated from Depp's own legal team.

Redirect Redirect Examination of Morgan Tremaine Morgan Tremaine Camille Vasquez 2

Summary

Vasquez asks Tremaine why he contacted Depp's team; he explains noticing a video discrepancy and reaching out to clarify the timeline, not to testify.

Direct Direct Examination of Beverly Leonard Beverly Leonard Camille Vasquez 22

Summary

Former Sea-Tac Airport employee Beverly Leonard testified by video that in 2009 she witnessed Heard grab and rip a necklace from a traveling companion while appearing intoxicated.

Day 23 May 26, 2022

Direct Direct Examination of Amber Heard Amber Heard J. Benjamin Rottenborn 8

Summary

Rottenborn's brief rebuttal direct on the counterclaim draws Heard's testimony about daily harassment, death threats, career damage, and lasting psychological trauma from the Waldman statements.

Colloquy Sidebar: Scope of Heard Rebuttal Cross-Examination 1 61

Summary

Judge limits Vasquez's cross of Heard to rebuttal-case topics only, permitting TMZ, Kate Moss, and Baruch but excluding Neumeister photos and Beverly Leonard.

Highlights (1)

Quote

“which include the words "abuse hoax," includes the words "fake sexual violence." This is her case. They're interrelated.”

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Cross Cross-Examination of Amber Heard (Continued) Amber Heard Camille Vasquez 144

Summary

Vasquez closes cross-examination by impeaching Heard on the Hicksville trailer, TMZ courthouse tip-off, the cabinet video leak, and her contradictory attribution of the same floor photograph to two separate incidents.

Redirect Amber Heard — Redirect Examination Amber Heard J. Benjamin Rottenborn 5

Summary

Rottenborn's brief redirect rehabilitates Heard on faked-injury allegations and elicits her affirmations of physical, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse.

Colloquy Jury Instructions Finalized; Closing Argument Ground Rules 22

Summary

After Heard rests her counterclaim case, the court finalizes contested jury instructions, approves the verdict form, and sets closing argument ground rules for the next morning.

Day 24 May 27, 2022

Closing Closing Argument — Plaintiff (Vasquez and Chew) Camille Vasquez 46

Summary

Depp's attorneys Vasquez and Chew deliver closing argument on the sixth anniversary of Heard's TRO filing, replaying audio admissions and challenging the lack of corroborating injury evidence.

Rebuttal Rebuttal Closing — Vasquez for Plaintiff Camille Vasquez 4 29

Summary

Camille Vasquez delivers Depp's rebuttal closing, rebutting defense mischaracterizations, calling Heard a serial liar, and urging the jury to restore Depp's reputation.

Highlights (4)

Quote

“She lied again when she told the world over and over again that she donated all of the $7 million divorce settlement to charity.”

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Quote

“Either she was raped by a bottle or she's the sort of person who would get on the stand in this courtroom and lie to you and the world about being raped.”

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Quote

“This is not a Me Too situation. There are no Me Toos. Just not Mes.”

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Quote

“It's not about money. It's about giving Mr. Depp his life back, six years ago when she took it away.”

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Evidence From Their Proceedings (90)

Documents Admitted

Heard Washington Post Op-Ed (Dec 18, 2018)

Amber Heard's opinion piece titled 'I spoke up against sexual violence and faced our culture's wrath. This has to change.' published in the Washington Post on December 18, 2018,…