Elon Musk has connections to the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial, but until Saturday, he had kept his opinion to himself.
Musk, who dated Heard in 2016, has been the target of Depp’s ire, according to court testimony. Depp suspected his ex-wife cheated on him with the Tesla billionaire. But Musk seems to have admiration for both parties.
“I hope they both move on. At their best, they are each incredible,” Musk said in a tweet reply to podcaster Lex Fridman.
Fridman had tweeted his thoughts about the blockbuster, six-week trial taking place in Fairfax, Virginia County Circuit Court, that has captured national attention.
“My takeaways from Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial: 1. Fame is one hell of a drug (for some). 2. Psychiatrists & lawyers come in drastically varying levels of skill. 3. Lying to millions of people is something humans are capable of. 4. Love can be messy. 5. Mega pint of wine,” Fridman tweeted.
I hope they both move on. At their best, they are each incredible.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 28, 2022
Depp sued Heard in 2019 for $50 million in defamation damages after she published a 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post, claiming she had been the victim of domestic violence. Although she did not name Depp in the op-ed, Depp’s lawyers say it was clear that she was referring to him. Last year, Heard countersued the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star for $100 million.
On Friday, Judge Penney Azcarate gave the jury instructions and it began deliberations.
While Americans following the trial on TV and online have picked sides, the jury must focus not only on whether Depp abused Heard, but also on whether Heard’s op-ed can be considered legally defamatory.
The article, which court testimony revealed was written at least in part by the ACLU, focuses mostly on policy questions of domestic violence, but Depp’s lawyer claims it was clearly aimed at his client.
Musk and Heard reportedly began dating in 2016, about a month after she filed for divorce from Depp. But Depp claims that Heard was cheating on him with Musk well before then and throughout their marriage.
The Daily Wire previously reported that Musk and Heard’s text communications were subpoenaed as part of the investigation but that the world’s richest man would not be required to testify.
Court documents indicated that Musk visited Depp’s penthouse “late at night” while the actor was not home. The 50-year-old Tesla founder was also allegedly given parking garage access.
Depp, who was once one of Hollywood’s top A-list actors, hopes to reclaim his reputation. But win or lose at trial, the case has exposed a sordid relationship between the pair and a lifestyle replete with drugs and alcohol abuse.
Source: Dailywire
