A legal expert has said Johnny Depp's court conduct could count against him in his defamation trial against Amber Heard.
Johnny Depp has accumulated a series of supporters throughout his ongoing $50 million (£38 million) lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, with some even gathering outside the Virginia courtroom with emotional support alpacas.
However, while the internet appear to be swaying a certain way, former district attorney Emily D. Baker is not convinced the jury will feel the same.
The hashtag #justiceforjohnnydepp has become widespread across multiple social media platforms, with over 7.7 billion views on TikTok.
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Posts have applauded Depp for his responses to some of the testimonies - including the actor appearing to laugh at Heard's lawyer, giggling over the doorman vaping and driving off while testifying and laughing when Heard claimed his breath stunk of weed and alcohol on one occasion.
However, Baker noted while these reactions may have made Depp popular among those outside the courtroom, that the jurors may think differently.
She said: "When he was saying 'Yes, Mr. Rottenborn,' and 'Object to another one, Mr. Rottenborn,' and this kind of back and forth, he did eventually get admonished by the judge to knock it off.
"The public might love that, the jury might find it very, very off putting."
Fans and supporters of the Pirates in the Caribbean star have also been recorded booing Heard outside of the courtroom, which Baker also noted as having the potential to 'hurt Johnny Depp's side' and sway the jury in Heard's favour.
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While the jurors are told not to look into the case or discuss it outside the courtroom, Baker explained fans have still managed to access the courtroom and it could also be hard for jurors to turn a blind eye to the atmosphere awaiting the two actors outside.
She said: "If the jurors leaving the courthouse see people out there booing, I think that could actually make them more empathetic to her.
"For me, that kind of stuff crosses the line. What's playing out in court is playing out in court, but I just don't think there's that need for vitriol outside of a courthouse."
Depp filed the lawsuit against Heard over an op-ed piece she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018.
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While Heard didn't mention Depp by name, he has argued her insinuation that she was a victim of domestic violence amid their marriage has ruined not just his career but also his reputation.
Baker has argued that if jurors see Depp supporters booing and appearing to silence her, they could view it as if Heard's op-ed piece - about women speaking out against powerful men - is simply playing out in real life.
The former district attorney warned: "That could just impact their state of mind where they're like, 'I'm watching this happen.'
"It can just be something in their mind saying, you know, she wasn't a hundred percent wrong in this article."
Featured Image Credit: Law & Crime NetworkTopics: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, US News