Update: 5:35 p.m. ET
A Virginia judge allowed an ex-TMZ employee to testify in Johnny Depp’s $50 million defamation trial against Amber Heard.
Judge Penney Azcarate ruled against TMZ’s emergency motion to block former assignment manager Tremaine Morgan from testifying as a witness for Depp.
TMZ had argued that Morgan should not be forced to give up a source regarding a video that was provided to him. The video shows Depp yelling at Heard and slamming doors. TMZ published the video in 2016.
Depp’s lawyer, Ben Chew noted that Morgan was not subpoenaed, that he, in fact, contacted the legal team on his own.
Morgan told the court that he contacted Depp’s legal to help them with the timeline of the video.
“You know this case is being televised, right?” Heard’s lawyer asked Morgan in court on Wednesday.
“I am aware that there are cameras,” Morgan replied.
“And so this gets you your 15 minutes of fame, doesn’t it?” she asked him.
“I stand to gain nothing from this,” Morgan said, before adding that he is making himself a “target” of TMZ, which he described as “a very litigious organization.”
Watch the video below.
Update: 1:09 p.m. ET
TMZ filed an emergency motion to block Johnny Depp’s legal team from calling a former employee to testify in court.
According to the motion, TMZ is seeking to prevent Morgan Tremaine from getting on the witness stand in Johnny Depp’s ongoing defamation trial against ex-girlfriend Amber Heard.
Tremaine worked as a field assignment manager for TMZ, according to the NY Post.
TMZ is worried that Tremaine might spill secrets told to him by an unnamed source.
“TMZ promised this source that it would maintain their confidentiality and would not disclose their name or other information about them,” TMZ’s lawyers said in a statement.
“TMZ makes such promises of confidentiality, from time to time, so that it may publish information in the public interest, and it relies on the journalist’s privilege protecting the identity of confidential sources to do so.”
Depp’s legal team wants to speak with Tremaine, who provided TMZ with a video of Depp yelling at Heard and slamming doors. The attorneys want to know if the tape was given to Tremaine by the unnamed source.
TMZ’s lawyers argued that Tremaine had nothing to do with the video and that any testimony given would be based on “rumor and conjecture.”
TMZ said Tremaine’s testimony would be irrelevant to the defamation trial.
Watch the trial live below.
Originally published on May 25, 2022 at 10:51 a.m. ET:
Johnny Depp’s ex-girlfriend, supermodel Kate Moss, denied any violence took place in their relationship. Moss appeared via Zoom at Johnny Depp’s defamation trial early Wednesday.
Moss denied Heard’s claim that Depp pushed the model down a flight of stairs while on vacation with him in Jamaica.
Moss appeared via Zoom from her home in Gloucestershire, England. Moss said that Depp “never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs.”
Moss was expected to support Heard’s claims of violence and abuse in Heard’s relationship with Depp. But Moss denied the allegations.
Moss admitted she fell down the steps and that Depp helped get her medical attention.
Questioned by Depp’s attorney Benjamin Chew, Moss said, “He carried me to my room and got me medical attention.”
Moss and Depp dated in the 1990s. Thy were both notorious for their hard partying, drinking and drug use.
At the time, the “Edward Scissorhands” star was at his peak as a young actor.
Moss later said that she “cried for years” over their breakup. She ended up in rehab after her drinking and drug use escalated out of control.
After Moss’ testimony, Heard reportedly said, “So Johnny Depp didn’t abuse Kate Moss. That makes him 1 for 2 in the abuse column.”
In 2012, Moss was ranked #2 on Forbes’ Highest Paid Models List, with earnings of almost $10,000,000.
The ongoing defamation trial began on April 11 in Fairfax County, Virginia. Plaintiff Depp sued Heard for $50 million in damages. She is countersuing him for $100 million.
So far, Depp is the fan favorite to win.
