Did Amber Heard try to avoid deposition using COVID as an excuse in Johnny Depp trial?

Amber Heard requested Johnny Depp and his legal team to wear mask during the libel trial ensuring COVID safety protocols and expressed her desire to appear for the deposition via Zoom.

In unsealed pre-trial court documents obtained by Newsweek, an emergency motion is included which was filed by the Aquaman actor’s team to "protect all individuals attending" her January deposition.

The motion from Heard’s legal team claimed that Depp has refused to wear mask during the trial while demanding that Heard violate [redacted] law by not wearing a mask during her deposition.

The filing added that the 59-year-old actor’s counsel has "refused to wear masks themselves for the deposition and refused to agree to ensure the court reporter and videographer had received COVID-19 shots."

Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft sent email to Depp's attorney in December 2021, she wrote about the 36-year-old actor’s concern about the growing threat of Omnicron variant and her wish to be take part in the deposition via Zoom.

"As you are also aware, Amber has a 9-month-old daughter, and she is currently living with her sister who has a 2- year-old toddler and is pregnant," the lawyer wrote. 

"This heightens the risks and danger. We believe these factors all suggest that a deposition of Amber by Zoom makes the most sense at this stage," she added.

Depp’s lawyers wrote in response that his client "hereby REJECTS Ms. Heard's latest proposed dodge," while adding that Heard and her counsel are "again acting in bad faith."

The attorney noted that they they will proceed with the in-person deposition at their Orange County offices in January and wrote that Depp and the team "agreed to take the same safety measures."

“And assured you that the two attorneys who will be taking Ms. Heard's deposition—myself and Camille Vasquez—have not only been double-vaxxed, but also have taken the booster," he added.

Depp’s lawyer went on to add that the idea Heard would use COVID as "a pretext to avoid accountability" would be "another low, except when the sources are considered."