Johnny Depp 's bodyguard Sean Bett testified in his trial againstAmber Heard .- He said the two regularly had fights and then made peace after a matter of hours.
Johnny Depp's bodyguard testified on Monday about witnessing the turbulent relationship between the actor and his ex-wife Amber Heard.
The bodyguard, Sean Bett, took the stand at Fairfax County Court in Virginia for a trial over Depp's lawsuit against Heard. Depp alleged that Heard defamed him by describing herself as a victim of domestic violence, and claimed Heard physically abused her before they divorced in 2016. Heard countersued, alleging Depp physically assaulted her numerous times throughout their relationship.
Bett said he did not see them physically attack each other, except for one incident where he witnessed Heard throw what he thought was a plastic cup or water bottle at Depp's direction.
"I ended up getting him and we got out of there as quickly as possible," Bett said.
Bett also said he witnessed Heard mock Depp.
"I overheard her saying, 'He's a fatass, fuck you Johnny, and fuck you, too, Sean.'"
Bett also said he recalled Depp telling him about part of his finger getting sliced off, blaming Heard for it.
Bett had to be corrected several times by the judge for bringing up alleged instances where he had been informed that Heard had been violent with Depp. Witnesses at trials are only allowed to testify about information they are directly knowledgeable about.
The jury was shown several photos on Monday, taken by Bett, showing injuries to Depp's face after alleged altercations with Heard. Bett said he was "emphatic" that Depp document the injuries "in case Heard made allegations against Depp." Bett said he never saw similar injuries on Heard's body, and that Heard never complained to him about Depp being abusive with her.
'You guys are either going to kill each other or wind up in jail'
Bett still works for Depp, overseeing his personal security operations, he testified. He got into the private security business after being forced out of his career in the Los Angeles Sheriff's office due to injuries sustained from car collisions, he said.
He met Heard in around 2011, when she and Depp began their relationship. Bett said he believed her family members and circle of friends took advantage of Depp, living in his penthouses without paying rent and using his cars.
In around 2014, Depp and Heard began getting into passionate fights with each other on a regular basis, Bett said. Heard also drank regularly, he said, and would become "slightly intoxicated" on occasion.
"I said, 'Amber, this can't continue. You guys are either going to kill each other or wind up in jail,'" Bett said. "And with tears and everything, she said, 'But I love him and I'm not going to lose him.'"
When they argued, Bett usually drove Depp away from the penthouse he shared with Heard and to his home in West Hollywood. They'd reconcile again in hours or days, Bett said.
"They would reconcile by talking. She'd have candles lit, a bottle of wine open," Bett said. "Depending on the night, she'd text me and have me pick up food at different restaurants."
Bett said that Depp and Heard separated in the spring of 2016, after they had an argument because Depp was late to Heard's 30th birthday party.
About a month later, Depp went with Bett and another security guard back to the apartment the actor shared with Heard in downtown Los Angeles to grab some things. Bett says they gave the couple some privacy, but went back into the apartment the second they heard Amber yelling "profanities."
Bett said when he got inside the apartment, Amber "had a look of surprise" on her face, and then said to Depp: "This is the last time you do this to me."
Bett said Depp looked at her and said "What the hell are you talking about?"
At the insistence of the other security guard, Depp soon left. Bett said he didn't witness any physical violence on either Depp or Heard's part on this occasion.
A marriage counselor for the couple previously testified in the trial that the two participated in "mutual abuse," and that Heard told her she escalated fights in order to prevent Depp from leaving.
"If he was going to leave her to de-escalate the fight, she was going to strike him," the therapist, Laurel Anderson, told jurors. "She would rather escalate the fight than have him leave."