Samuel Moniz
Samuel Moniz is a trial attorney on Johnny Depp's plaintiff's team, one of several counsel who divided witness examination duties across the three-week trial. He handled direct examinations of lay witnesses, security and household staff, and expert witnesses, as well as targeted cross-examinations of defense witnesses. His portfolio spanned both factual and expert testimony central to Depp's theory of the case.
Testimony Impact
Moniz anchored several of Depp's most important witness examinations, directing Ben King through the Australia fingertip discovery and the absence of visible injuries on Heard, and eliciting Malcolm Connolly's accounts of recurring marks on Depp and projectiles thrown by Heard. His direct of expert orthopedic surgeon Richard Gilbert produced the opinion that Depp's comminuted finger fracture was consistent with a thrown vodka bottle and inconsistent with wall-punching — directly rebutting Heard's narrative. He also directed Candie Davidson-Goldbronn to establish that Heard fulfilled only $250,000 of a $3.5 million CHLA pledge, undercutting credibility on her charitable-giving claims. On the other side, his cross of LAPD officer Marie Sadanaga built a methodical premise chain: because visible injuries permit independent probable-cause findings regardless of victim cooperation, the absence of any LAPD incident report in May 2016 implies officers found no visible injuries on Heard.
Key Moments
King testifies he arrived in Australia on March 8 to find Heard crying hysterically, observed no injuries on her, and later located Depp's severed fingertip in the kitchen — directly contradicting Heard's account of that weekend.
Day 8 · Direct of Ben King
Connolly describes a recurring pattern of scratches on Depp's left cheek and neck, and recounts two projectile incidents — a plastic bottle to the chest and a soda can launched from a mezzanine — attributed to Heard.
Day 11 · Direct of Malcolm Connolly
Moniz cross-examines LAPD officer Sadanaga to establish that visible injuries allow independent probable-cause findings regardless of victim cooperation, framing the absence of any May 2016 incident report as evidence officers found no injuries on Heard.
Day 19 · Cross of Marie Sadanaga
Gilbert opines that Depp's comminuted finger fracture is consistent with a thrown vodka bottle and 'highly unlikely' to result from wall-punching, systematically dismantling the defense's alternative injury theory.
Day 23 · Direct of Richard Gilbert
Davidson-Goldbronn confirms only $250,000 of Heard's $3.5 million CHLA pledge was received, with two 2019 hospital letters to Heard and her accountant going unanswered.
Day 21 · Direct of Candie Davidson-Goldbronn
Moniz uses a floor-plan demonstrative exhibit to geolocate Australia property damage across all levels and rehabilitates King's extensive photo-taking as routine professional documentation practice.
Day 8 · Redirect of Ben King
Gilbert clarifies on redirect that the absence of other hand injuries cuts against wall-punching alternatives rather than undermining the thrown-bottle theory, reframing the cross-examination's central challenge.
Day 23 · Redirect of Richard Gilbert
Evidence From Their Proceedings (8)
Australia House — Bathroom Mirror Writings (Exs. 374, 375, 1830)
Photographs of bathroom mirrors in the Gold Coast, Australia rental house bearing messages written in black oil paint and red lipstick, including "Starring Billy Bob and Easy…
Catalog entry →Gina Deuters Trial-Week Social Media Post
A social media post authored by Gina Deuters, described as a 'long letter' commenting on court proceedings and Depp's wins; a screenshot was passed to Heard's counsel by Eve…
Catalog entry →Australia House — Multi-Page Floor Plan (PX-159)
Multi-page floor plan of the Gold Coast, Australia rental house introduced by Depp's team.
Catalog entry →CHLA Letter to Amber Heard — Pledge Payment Inquiry
A letter from Candie Davidson-Goldbronn of Children's Hospital Los Angeles sent directly to Amber Heard, care of Jody Gottlieb, inquiring about additional gift installments.
Catalog entry →CHLA Letter to Edward White — Pledge Installment Inquiry, June 2019
A June 14, 2019 letter from Candie Davidson-Goldbronn of Children's Hospital Los Angeles to Edward White inquiring about further installments on Heard's pledge.
Catalog entry →Fidelity Charitable Check to CHLA — $250K, January 9, 2018
A Fidelity Charitable check in the amount of $250,000 to Children's Hospital Los Angeles dated January 9, 2018, recorded in hospital records as Heard's donation.
Catalog entry →Plaintiff's Ex. 60 — X-rays, Depp's Right Middle Finger (Gilbert)
Two X-rays of Johnny Depp's right middle finger taken after the Australia injury, showing the comminuted fracture at the distal phalanx, published to the jury as a demonstrative…
Catalog entry →Plaintiff's Exhibit 162 — Photograph taken by Connolly of Depp, Heard, and train staff
Photograph taken by Connolly of Depp, Heard, and train staff in the dining car of the Orient Express during their honeymoon journey from Bangkok to Singapore.
Catalog entry →