Jennifer Howell — Direct/Cross/Redirect
87 linesMS. VASQUEZ: Your Honor, we call Jennifer Howell by video deposition.
THE COURT: All right.
MS. BREDEHOFT: Please state your name and address for the record,
JENNIFER HOWELL: Jennifer Howell, Los Angeles, California.
MS. BREDEHOFT: What is your current occupation?
JENNIFER HOWELL: I run the Art of Elysium. I'm CEO of Art of Elysium,
MS. BREDEHOFT: Let me just go back. You indicated that Whitney lived with you from January 2015 --
JENNIFER HOWELL: No.
MS. BREDEHOFT: I'm sorry, May 2015 to April 2016. Are you absolutely certain about those dates?
JENNIFER HOWELL: I'm certain, yes. She came and went at different periods, but all of her stuff moved out of my house April 2016.
MS. BREDEHOFT: And I'm sorry, did you say you were a hundred percent certain of that? Ms. Howell, could you answer my question? Yes. She did go back to Amber and Johnny's at different points, but she was still living with me during that time.
MS. BREDEHOFT: The question I asked, because you were talking at the same time. Ms. Vasquez was giving an objection, was I believe you said you were a hundred percent certain of those dates; is that correct?
THE COURT: All right.
MS. VASQUEZ: You previously testified that you were the CEO for Art of Elysium; is that correct?
JENNIFER HOWELL: That's correct.
MS. VASQUEZ: Are you still currently in that position?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes, I am.
MS. VASQUEZ: And how long have you been the CEO for Art of Elysium? 11. <A I'm the founder of the organization, so we did our first workshop in August of 1997, filed the legal paperwork in February of '98, to set up a 501(c)(3), so I guess since the beginning of the charity? Q = Ms. Howell, when did you first meet Amber Heard?
JENNIFER HOWELL: The Pineapple Express premiere is where 191 met she and her sister Whitney.
MS. VASQUEZ: Do you remember, approximately, what year that was? 22. A I believe it was around 2008. I'm sure to May 24, 2022 that can be pulled. It was the LA premiere. I think there were probably multiple premieres, but it was a Los Angeles premiere of Pineapple Express.
MS. VASQUEZ: Was Ms. Heard there with Mr. Depp?
JENNIFER HOWELL: No. This was long before. I was a guest of James Franco, and Amber was in the movie, and so I met she and her sister at the — let me be specific, at the after-party of the premiere. 1] Q_ Did Ms. Henriquez end up working for Art of Elysium at some point? 13. A _ Yes, she did. 14. Q . What year did Ms. Henriquez begin working with Art of Elysium?
JENNIFER HOWELL: I believe it was in 2014. I don't have those documents right in front of me. I believe it was leading into the year Amber was receiving the award.
MS. VASQUEZ: And what was Ms. Henriquez's position at Art of Elysium? +A Art Salon manager, director.
JENNIFER HOWELL: Art Salon manager, director.
MS. VASQUEZ: Does Ms. Henriquez still work for Art of Elysium?
JENNIFER HOWELL: No.
MS. VASQUEZ: When did that end?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Oh, 2015, I believe.
MS. VASQUEZ: Each time you saw Mr. Depp, did you ever see him doing any illicit illegal drugs?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Never.
MS. VASQUEZ: Did you ever see him consuming excessive amounts of alcohol? =A Never.
MS. VASQUEZ: Did you ever see Mr. Depp appear intoxicated?
JENNIFER HOWELL: No.
MS. VASQUEZ: Did Ms. Heard ever show you photographs of -- depicting injuries on her face or body?
JENNIFER HOWELL: No.
MS. VASQUEZ: Did Ms. Heard ever tell you that Mr. Depp was abusive towards her? =A, No.
MS. VASQUEZ: Is Mr. Depp paying your legal fees, Ms. Howell, for this deposition and the testimony you provided in the U.K. action?
JENNIFER HOWELL: He is not.
MS. VASQUEZ: Who is?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Myself.
MS. VASQUEZ: Do you feel any particular sense of loyalty toward Mr. Depp?
JENNIFER HOWELL: None at all.
MS. VASQUEZ: Do you feel any sense of loyalty towards Ms. Heard?
JENNIFER HOWELL: None at all. QQ Ms. Howell, do you recognize this check as the check that the Art of Elysium received on behalf of Ms. Heard for a donation, an anonymous donation of $250,000?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes. Yes. QI believe you testified previously that you understood the anonymous donor was Elon Musk; is that true?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes.
MS. VASQUEZ: If I could, please, have Exhibit 4 brought up. And for the record, it's Bates-stamped JH22 through 29. AV TECHNICIAN: Exhibit 4.
MS. VASQUEZ: Do you recognize this document, Ms. Howell? And if you need to scroll through the eight pages, feel free.
JENNIFER HOWELL: Can you scroll down?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yeah, I recognize that.
MS. VASQUEZ: And what is this?
JENNIFER HOWELL: That is an email, I believe, I sent to Whitney.
MS. VASQUEZ: Scrolling up to the first page of this attachment, who is Marcel --
JENNIFER HOWELL: Pariseau?
MS. VASQUEZ: Sure, Pariseau.
JENNIFER HOWELL: He is one of my oldest friends in Los Angeles, who has served as a board member of the Art of Elysium and is one of my biggest confidants here in LA, kind of through the course of my career.
MS. VASQUEZ: And going down to the third page of this exhibit. Thank you.
MS. VASQUEZ: Is this an email, Ms. Howell, that you sent to Whitney Henriquez on or about Tuesday, Plane to May 24, 2022 July 28, 2020, at 11:20 -- excuse me, at 11:02 am.
JENNIFER HOWELL: It is.
MS. VASQUEZ: Is this a true and accurate copy of an email exchange that you sent to Ms. Henriquez?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes. I believe I'm the one who gave that. Yes, it is.
MS. VASQUEZ: And then did you forward this email exchange.and the attachments to Marcel Pariseau.
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes. I asked him to keep it for me. 1] Q_ Why did you send this email and letter to Ms. Henriquez? 13. A Because I struggled very much with what to do in a situation that I love someone who I know is doing something very wrong, and J know that they're doing it because they're trying to protect their sister, and I'm trying to protect her. And I'm just trying to get her to wake up and do the right thing, which is tell the truth. That's the only thing that can help everybody involved in this case. © Ms. Howell do you recall submitting a
MS. VASQUEZ: Ms. Howell, do you recall submitting a witness statement in the United Kingdom?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yeah, they basically just called to verify the witness statement that was submitted previously.
MS. VASQUEZ: And do you recognize this document to be the witness statement and the declaration that you submitted in the UK.? And if you want to scroll down to look at it.
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes. I recognize it.
MS. VASQUEZ: And at the first page, do you see a date on this document?
JENNIFER HOWELL: January 13th, 2021.
MS. VASQUEZ: And is this document a true and accurate copy of the declaration that you submitted in the U.K. proceeding on or about January 13th, 2021?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes.
MS. VASQUEZ: And are all the statements in your U.K. declaration accurate and true?
JENNIFER HOWELL: I mean, yes. I signed it, yes.
PINTADO: Let's pull up what I believe was Depp Exhibit 9. It's been marked as Depp Exhibit 9. AV TECHNICIAN: Exhibit 9.
JENNIFER HOWELL: Can you go — there. Uh-huh.
PINTADO: Did Mr. Waldman assist you in drafting this email? 12. A _ Absolutely not. 13. Q . Did you speak with Mr. Waldman at all about drafting the email?
JENNIFER HOWELL: About writing an email? No. I did that on my own accord. 17. Q_ Did you speak with Mr. Waldman at all about contacting the ACLU?
JENNIFER HOWELL: I do not recall having a conversation with him about that. And, Ms. Howell, you testified earlier that you received a check from Fidelity Charitable that you received a check from Fidelity Charitable in January of 2018, is that right?
JENNIFER HOWELL: I don't know if I said the date, but, yes, I received an anonymous donation from that check that was submitted, whatever is on there. I don't know the date off the top of my head.
PINTADO: And you testified that there was a letter sent along with that that said that it was in honor of Amber Heard?
JENNIFER HOWELL: Yes. I was guaranteed 20 minutes with him after being attacked for three and a half hours by your side last time, so I'm going to stick by what I was told before entering this, and what your side agreed to.