What do Johnny Depp & Brian Laundrie have in common?
What do an actor and a guy who worked in a Long Island garden center have in common? Both were accused of domestic violence.
In Johnny’s case, his brief marriage to Amber Heard resulted in allegations of spousal abuse, (his) alcohol and drug use, and verbal abuse. In Brian’s case, a murder suicide involving Brian and his girlfriend Gabby Petito followed incidents of violence.
The ugliness of these revelations of domestic violence damages reputations, families, and careers. Johnny’s trial revealed text messages he sent, his assertions that Amber threw paint cans and vodka bottles at him, and recorded conversations (which were played to the jury.)
Let’s Burn Amber
In one chilling text message exchange with a friend, Paul Bettany, Depp wrote, “Let’s burn Amber!!!”
Paul Bettany responded, “Having thought it through. I don’t think we should burn Amber.”
Depp texted, “Let’s drown her before we burn her!!! I will (expletive) her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she’s dead.” Johnny Depp grilled over texts to ex-wife Amber Heard, concluding 4 days on the stand (cbsnews.com)
Domestic Violence Ruins Reputations
No doubt the public revelation of this toxic relationship of intimate partner violence will shock many Johnny Depp fans. He decided to sue Amber because of an op-ed piece in the Washington Post in which she referred to herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse.
The trial involves a libel lawsuit he filed against his ex-wife because he thought it was his best chance to reclaim his reputation.
I believe Johnny got more than he bargained for as Amber’s attorney fought back, shared descriptions of fights, Depp’s drug use, drinking and charged interactions with his wife. Nasty details for an actor who claims he lost a role in the lucrative Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise because of the Post article.
Brian Laundrie’s life was no less messy once he returned alone from a trip with Gabby. Within days, his parents contacted an attorney and were allegedly making arrangements to get him out of the country. He disappeared into a nature preserve. Only after an extensive manhunt was his body found. Dead of a gunshot wound, he confessed in his journal to killing his girlfriend
These 2 tragic cases remind us that no one is protected from violence. It exists in all strata of society, and gives rise to lawsuits and criminal cases.
The legal nurse consultant plays an invaluable role in helping attorneys understand the injuries and consider defenses.
Expand your role as an LNC at our 2 day virtual conference taking place June 9 and 10, 2022. You’ll discover the nuances of traumatic head injuries, fractures, and strangulation, and have hands on opportunities to review medical records. You’ll get a career boost and the confidence to be able to handle these cases.
Head over to LNC.tips/DV to register, and if you see this blog after the conference is over, you’ll have a chance to purchase the videos for review at your convenience.