My BFF has been enamored with Johnny Depp pretty much her entire life. I cannot tell you how many of his movies I have been forced to sit through, some of them multiple times. Of course, she's also followed his personal life and was disappointed when he broke up with his longtime girlfriend and mother of his two kids. She was even more dismayed when it widely reported that a contributing factor to the breakup was Depp's infatuation with actress Amber Heard. I remember a conversation Y and I had shortly after the two announced their engagement in which she said she had a bad feeling about the whole deal. And, well, she was right. In case you've been living under a rock, Heard very publicly filed for divorce last week after a mere 15 months of marriage, and followed that up by filing for a restraining order based on accusations that Depp abused her. When people widely disbelieved her account of him having allegedly thrown an iPhone at her face and striking her, she lawyered up and released photos of her injury. The LAPD had responded to a domestic dispute on the night in question, but she refused to press charges and said it had just been a loud argument. Officers have stated multiple times that they did not see any signs of physical violence at the residence, and no sign of any injuries to her. So of course, the next day Heard's attorneys release more stories of other abuse incidents that took place during their marriage, partnering with "People" magazine (for a price, I'm sure) to tell the story of how she's a "hero". Gag.
Lest you have read this far and believe I'm anti-woman or believing the man's story simply because I am a man, let me make some things perfectly clear. I have not decided which side is telling the truth, and a large part of that is because domestic violence is an issue close to my heart, one that has existed in my own family on more than one occasion. My biological great grandfather was a manipulative, violent SOB that ruined many lives. My aunt's ex-husband took a swing at her before she put him out and never spoke to him again. Another aunt lived for years with one abuser, only to break free and end up with another one. Even my mother has had experience with domestic abuse. I'm not one to side with a man in an abuse case in some misguided male solidarity. But I will tell you this - Heard is shady as fuck and came off that way long before she became Depp's wife. And that's what makes it difficult for me to believe what she's saying about all of this alleged abuse that took place. She didn't come out with the abuse story until the public scoffed at her divorce filing. She's been lashing out every chance she gets through her lawyers about how the media is portraying her as a golddigger when she is actually a victim. Yet she has not filed a police report or asked for an investigation and possible charges against Depp. I find that very telling. If she had all her ducks in a row and good representation, she would've had the abuse documented the night it happened by the police and filed for the restraining order then, and that would've strengthened her case in the divorce significantly. Properly documented abuse is a game changer in divorce cases like this. Instead, she sent the cops away and later had friends take pictures of her injuries, which apparently they also did for her during previous fights. There are few reasons not to file a police report on this latest fight; she was too afraid to do so (doubtful since she wasn't afraid to call the cops in the first place), she didn't know it would be their last fight (also doubtful since it sounds like she'd been planning to leave for awhile), or nothing actually happened and she's at least wise enough to know that she could be charged with filing a false report if found out. Very curious, indeed. Add to that the fact that Heard's finances were disclosed and girl spends money like it's going out of style. Three-hundred dollars on laundry, thousands on vacations and gifts and eating out. In my opinion, 15 months of marriage should not be enough to get spousal support, even if there was abuse in the marriage. And that "lifestyle I've become accustomed to" crap should only apply when there are children involved. As I said, I don't know who's telling the truth but parts of all this scream that she just wants out of the marriage and with all the cash she can grab. Depp has been awfully quiet which makes it seem like maybe he knows something the rest of us don't and is waiting for the case to go to court before he shows his hand. But whether it's true or not, he's learning a valuable lesson - don't break up your happy, settled home life just because you're infatuated with a chick that everybody told you was gonna turn you out eventually.
