Johnny Depp settles 2018 City Of Lies assault lawsuit as he slams Amber Heard's 'frivolous' appeal

July 12, 2022

Johnny Depp has settled an assault lawsuit brought against him by a former location manager.

The actor, 59, was accused of assaulting Greg "Rocky" Brooks during filming for the movie City of Lies in downtown Los Angeles in April 2017.

Mr Brooks had alleged the Pirates Of The Caribbean star had screamed obscenities at him, hit him twice in the ribs and then offered him money to punch him back.

The case is now due to be dismissed next year, after an agreement was reached two weeks before the start of the trial, according to documents seen by the PA news agency.

The settlement reads: "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.

"A request for dismissal will be filed no later than 1/5/2023."

The original lawsuit alleged that Depp had assaulted Mr Brooks outside the Barclay Hotel after the crew member told him that production had wrapped for the night.

Documents in the original lawsuit alleged Depp said: "I will give you $100,000 [£85,000] to punch me in the face right now."

Mr Brooks had also claimed he was later fired from the 2018 film, which is about the killing of Tupac and Notorious BIG, after refusing to sign a release waiver regarding his right to sue.

He had also alleged the Hollywood star created a "hostile, abusive and unsafe" work environment due to his "intoxication and temper".

The reported settlement follows the actor's victory in the multimillion-dollar defamation case brought against his ex-wife Amber Heard last month.

The case revolved around a 2018 article Heard wrote for The Washington Post, which Depp said falsely accused him of being an abuser. The actor was not specifically named in the article.

Depp, who sued Heard for $50m (£38.2m), was awarded $10.35m (£8.2m) in damages, after a unanimous seven-person jury in Fairfax, Virginia, found that the article had defamed him.

Read more:
Depp v Heard: The key pieces of evidence from six weeks of 'soap opera' trial

Heard counter-sued Depp for $100m (£76.4m) and won on one count. She was awarded $2m (£1.5m) in damages.

Earlier this month the Aquaman star appealed the ruling, asking for the case to be dismissed entirely or to be re-run, claiming the judgment wasn't supported by evidence.

Her legal team also claimed that one of the jurors was not the person summoned to attend, but a younger family member.

Calling her appeal "frivolous", Depp's lawyers have said there is "no legitimate basis" for a fresh trial.

His team said the verdict was "well-supported by the overwhelming evidence (and) consistent with the law" and that Heard's appeal "verges into the frivolous".

Rate this item
(0 votes)

HOW TO LISTEN

103.5 & 105.3FM

Online

Mobile Apps

Smart Speaker