Entertainment
Johnny Depp reaches settlement in City Of Lies assault case after Amber Heard trial-Louise Griffin-Entertainment – Metro
No terms were made public.
Johnny Depp has reportedly reached a settlement (Pictures: Saban Films / AP)
Johnny Depp has reportedly reached a settlement in his assault case brought to him by the former location manager on his film City of Lies.
Depp has been accused of assaulting City of Lies crew member Gregg ‘Rocky’ Brooks while on set in 2017, with the location manager naming him in a personal injury lawsuit.
However, in a Los Angeles Superior Court filing obtained by Deadline, Brooks’ lawyer Arbella Azizian said a settlement had been reached, although no terms were made public.
The document read: ‘The settlement agreement conditions dismissal of this matter on the satisfactory completion of specified terms that are not to be performed within 45 days of the date of the settlement.’
It adds: ‘Dismissal After Settlement is scheduled for 02/16/2023.’
Depp was accused of ‘maliciously and forcefully’ punching Brooks twice in the ribs while they were filming in April, 2017, and allegedly said he would pay him $100,000 (£84,000) to ‘punch [him] in the face’.
City of Lies was released in 2018 (Picture: Saban Films)
Johnny Depp recently won his defamation case against Amber Heard (Picture: Cliff Owen/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images)
However, Depp has maintained that Brooks ‘provoked’ others on set, claiming that his actions were out of self-defense.
In the legal documents, Brooks alleged his actions were ‘intentional and malicious’ and done ‘for the purpose of’ humiliating him, claiming that the Hollywood star created a ‘hostile, abusive and unsafe’ work environment due to his ‘intoxication and temper’.
He also claimed that he was eventually fired from the film after refusing to sign a release waiver regarding his right to sue.
Amber Heard is appealing the verdict in the defamation case (Picture: JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The reported settlement comes after Depp hit back at Amber Heard’s appeal after he won his defamation case against her.
Last month, the 36-year-old Aquaman star was found by a unanimous seven-person jury in Fairfax, Virginia, to have defamed her Pirates Of The Caribbean actor ex-husband in a Washington Post article in which she claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse.
While Depp, 59, wasn’t named in the article, his lawyers argued the piece was defamatory against the actor and the court awarded him $15million (£12m) in compensatory and punitive damages.
Heard won one count of her $100m (£83m) countersuit, and was given damages of $2m (£1.6m), meaning she has to pay the 59-year-old $8m (£6.6m).
Heard’s attorneys requested a mistrial – but Depp’s lawyers have hit back.
Documents obtained by Deadline state: ‘Following a six-week jury trial, a jury of Ms Heard’s peers rendered a verdict against her in virtually all respects.
‘Though understandably displeased with the outcome of trial, Ms Heard has identified no legitimate basis to set aside in any respect the jury’s decision.
‘Virginia law is clear that a verdict is not to be set aside unless it is “plainly wrong or without evidence to support it.”‘
It continues: ‘Here, the verdict was well-supported by the overwhelming evidence, consistent with the law, and should not be set aside.
‘Mr Depp respectfully submits that the court should deny Ms Heard’s Post-Trial Motions, which verge into the frivolous.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Johnny Depp for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Entertainment – MetroRead More
