Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard Trial Live: Psychologist says Depp’s mangled finger NOT caused by Heard

Johnny Depp will not be taking the stand on Wednesday, a source close to Heard’s legal team told NBC News.

The source said Depp’s testimony ‘has been irrelevant to the heart of this case’ and that is not expected to change.

The actor could still return to the stand later this week when Depp’s team questions rebuttal witnesses prior to closing arguments.

• During cross examination before lunch break, Dr. Spiegel testified that he read about Depp using earpieces on movie sets.

   

  He had previously explained the cognitive impact of severe substance abuse, including memory loss and difficulty concentrating.

  Citing a report he read, he gave the example of Depp being fed lines through an earpiece when acting.

  Depp’s lawyer Wayne Dennison asked Dr. Spiegel about actors’ use of earpieces.

  ‘I don’t believe that actors are routinely given their entire script through earpieces,” Spiegel said. ‘I find that hard to believe.’

  ‘Do you know whether Marlon Brando used an earpiece?’ Depp’s attorney asked Spiegel.

  ‘Isn’t he dead,’ Dr. Spiegel asked. When the lawyer responds that he is, the doctor responds: ‘The answer is no, well, he does not use one now.’

  ‘I know nothing about acting,’ Spiegel admitted. ‘If that’s the standard, I am wrong, I don’t know.’

   

  Depp covers his face with his hands and shakes his head.

  I don’t want to talk about all of them, but … in particular are: one, having someone in the relationship who is jealous or suspicious,’ he said. ‘Two, having someone who has a higher than average acceptance of violence ideations. Three, someone who has rapid and extreme mood shifts. Four, someone who has limited self-control.’

  Heard’s attorney Elaine Bredehoft asked if there was evidence of Depp with these warning signs, Spiegel said it was almost ‘routine.’

  ‘You start seeing partners getting angry, starting to break down the communication, starting to engage in verbal, non-verbal threats,’ he explained.

  He also explained that narcissism can be related to IPV, describing narcissists as having poor self-control, rapid mood shifts, being envious and worshipping power and control.

  There are ‘calm’ phases’ and it’s common for the individuals to blame the victim, he added.

  

  Things get heated as Dr. Spiegel discussed the Goldwater Rule while he was on the stand Monday. He said his opinions of Depp are within the Goldwater Rule guidelines.

  He added that he is not offering any ‘armchair diagnosis’ of Depp on his cognitive well-being.

  ‘If you want the jury to believe that expert witness are unethical, then I guess that’s for them to decide,’ he said.

  The rule states that psychiatrists have a responsibility to participate in activities contributing to the improvement of the community.

  But they should not give a professional opinion about public figures who they have not examined in person or have obtained consent to discuss their mental health in public statements.

  Dr. Spiegel rattled off multiple drugs while on the stand Monday – both prescribed and illegal – that he said Depp was taking, in addition to consuming alcohol.

  He told the court that people with substance abuse disorder take legally prescribed drugs to help them go to sleep and wake up.

  Th doctor said Depp was taking Seroquel as a sleeping agent, and that it ‘really knocks people out.’

  Depp was also taking Adderall, a legal prescribed drug to keep him awake.

  When these drugs are combined with illegal substances like cocaine and MDMA, and used chronically, a patient can get irritable, agitated, suspicious, jealous, potentially disinhibited and psychotic, Spiegel said.

  He said the chronic substance use can throw off a patient’s ‘circadian rhythm

  Camille Vasquez, 37, one of Depp’s lawyers who won a massive online following after ‘grilling’ Amber Heard last week is back in the courtroom Monday.

  Interactions between Vasquez and Heard became tense during the cross-examination and at one point, she got Heard to admit she didn’t donate her full $7 million divorce settlement to charity despite previously claiming to have done so.

  The tough lawyer’s following grew with fan-fueled rumors of a budding romance between Vasquez and Depp.

  A TMZ reporter called out to her outside court last week: ‘The people want to know, are you dating Johnny Depp? It’s all over the internet. Can you set the record straight, yes or no?’

  The California litigator declined to answer as she laughed, brushed her hair aside and waved to the throngs of fans gathered outside.

  Attorney Camille Vasquez and actor Johnny Depp listen during actor’s defamation case against ex-wife, actor Amber Heard, in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax on Monday