Amber Heard mentioned she knew she ought to depart Johnny Depp the primary time he hit her, however she could not convey herself to do it.
"I knew I could not simply forgive him, proper, as a result of which means it would occur once more. Like, I've seen the well being class movies," Heard informed jurors by means of tears as she took the stand in Depp's libel lawsuit towards her. "I used to be heartbroken."
In the end, although, she could not convey herself to interrupt up.
She walked away after being slapped, however a couple of days later Depp got here again with an apology, a couple of instances of her favourite wine, and a promise he'd by no means do it once more, Heard testified.
"I wished to consider him, so I selected to," she mentioned.
Depp, 58, is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court docket after she wrote a December 2018 op-ed in The Washington Publish describing herself as "a public determine representing home abuse".
The article by no means mentions Depp by title, however Depp's attorneys say he was defamed nonetheless as a result of it clearly referred to accusations she made in 2016 throughout their divorce proceedings.
Heard took the stand for the primary time on Wednesday afternoon (native time) within the now four-week trial.
She described to jurors how they met filming a film and fell in love.
Regardless of their 22-year age distinction, Heard mentioned there was an prompt connection when Depp met along with her as he thought of her for a job in his movie The Rum Diary.
"I used to be a no-name actor. I used to be 22. He was twice my age. He is this world-famous actor and right here we're getting alongside about obscure books, previous blues" music, mentioned Heard, now 36.
Whereas they'd chemistry in the course of the filming of the film, she mentioned they did not start courting till doing a press tour for the movie's launch in 2011.
On the outset, they saved their relationship a secret.
"We weren't doing regular life stuff... We have been on this bubble of secrecy, and it felt like a heat glow," she mentioned.
She mentioned the primary act of bodily violence got here as she was taking a look at certainly one of his tattoos and could not learn it.
She laughed when Depp informed her it mentioned "Wino" — an alteration to a tattoo he had made when he'd been courting actor Winona Ryder.
Heard mentioned she laughed after he slapped her, considering it should be a joke.
He then slapped her two extra occasions, the third time knocking her off stability, Heard mentioned.
Depp, who has already taken the stand and testified for 4 days, informed jurors a distinct model of the story.
"It did not occur," he mentioned of the alleged assault.
"Why would I take such nice offense to somebody making enjoyable of a tattoo on my physique? That allegation by no means made any sense to me."
Heard's testimony got here after a psychologist employed by her attorneys testified that Heard suffers from post-traumatic stress dysfunction from a number of acts of abuse, together with sexual violence, inflicted on her by Depp.
Depp testified he by no means struck Heard and that he was the abuse sufferer.
He mentioned he was punched and struck by her on many events, and that she threw issues at him.
He described Heard as having a "want for battle."
Psychologist Daybreak Hughes, in her testimony on Tuesday, acknowledged that Heard at occasions perpetrated bodily violence towards Depp, however mentioned it paled compared to violence she suffered, which left her intimidated and fearful for her security.
Throughout cross-examination on Wednesday, Hughes acknowledged that she wasn't making factual determinations that Depp assaulted Heard on particular events.
However she testified that Heard's account of her experiences are in line with accounts of these experiencing home violence.
Hughes mentioned the sexual assaults included Heard being compelled by Depp to carry out oral intercourse.
On cross-examination, although, Depp's attorneys famous that, throughout psychological testing carried out as a part of Hughes' analysis, Heard denied being compelled to carry out oral intercourse.
Hughes mentioned Heard initially was framing the encounters as consensual however "offended intercourse."
"She wasn't framing them as bodily drive," Hughes mentioned.
The trial continues to seize public consideration.
Greater than 100 folks have been lined up on Wednesday earlier than 7am (native time) — three hours earlier than proceedings started — exterior the courthouse for the 100 seats made accessible within the courtroom.
Most have been Depp supporters and followers.