(CNN) — After 13 days of testimony, lawyers for Johnny Depp concluded their case in the defamation trial against Amber Heard on Tuesday, and Heard’s legal team began presenting its side.
Depp is suing Heard, his ex-wife, alleging that a 2018 op-ed she wrote defamed him and caused him to lose his job in Hollywood.
Heard is expected to take the stand as early as tomorrow.
Before Tuesday, jurors heard from more than two dozen witnesses called by Depp’s lawyers, including Depp himself.
Many testified about explosive fights between the former couple.
Depp’s last witness, forensic accountant Mike Spindler, testified Tuesday about his analysis of the earnings Depp allegedly lost as a result of the 2018 op-ed, which did not mention the actor by name.
“I have concluded that Mr. Depp suffered a loss of income of approximately $40 million,” Spindler testified.
Minutes after Depp’s legal team wrapped up their case, Heard’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case, a common tactic in civil cases, arguing that Depp did not prove his defamation claim.
Judge Penny Azcarate partially denied the motion based on two arguments, but said she would continue to consider another argument if Heard’s team presents evidence related to him as they present their case.
Heard’s legal team takes center stage
Heard’s legal team began with the testimony of clinical and forensic psychologist Dawn Hughes, who previously testified as an abusive relationship expert in the trials of Nxivm founder Keith Raniere and singer R. Kelly, helping secure the convictions of Both.
Hughes, who has evaluated Heard and specializes in intimate partner violence, testified that the actress was sexually abused by Depp.
He also said he diagnosed Heard with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hughes testified that Heard was not a client but that he made an objective assessment of the actress in relation to the case. Hughes said that she met with Heard for 29 hours beginning in September 2019.
Hughes did not meet with Depp, he said.
Under direct examination, Hughes testified that Heard reported experiencing physical violence, psychological assault, sexual violence, coercive control, and being watched by Depp. Hughes detailed multiple incidents of sexual violence shared with her by Heard.
Hughes testified that there are therapy notes that correspond to what Heard told him.
Depp previously testified that he was the victim of physical and verbal abuse by Heard and denied the accusations of physical violence against Heard.
Hughes said he determined through evidence that there were varying degrees of physical violence and psychological assault that Heard and Depp perpetrated on each other.
“What this evidence shows is that there was a high degree of serious violence perpetrated by Mr. Depp towards Ms. Heard. There was more violence at the mild level perpetrated by Ms. Heard towards Mr. Depp, with a severe indicator which was the punch she gave me,” Hughes said. “Mr. Depp engaged in more serious acts of psychological assault, while Ms. Heard engaged in mild and severe acts of psychological assault.”
Hughes also said that Heard was subjected to sexual violence while Depp, according to Heard’s report, was not subjected to “none”.
Depp’s team has repeatedly accused Heard of being the abuser in the relationship, pointing to an incident in Australia that left Depp with part of his finger amputated, among other incidents.
Hughes will be questioned Wednesday morning by Depp’s lawyers.
