TMZ allegedly received a number of tip-offs for photo-ops of Heard
An ex-TMZ employee has testified that he received a tip off for a photo-op of Amber Heard’s bruise that she allegedly suffered at the hands of Johnny Depp.
On Wednesday, Morgan Tremaine was called to the stand by Depp’s lawyers. He had worked as a field assignment manager for TMZ, and had been in charge of around 20 paparazzi in Los Angeles.
He told the court that on May 27, 2016, he had been told to dispatch photographers to a courthouse in LA. This was the day Heard filed for a temporary restraining order from Depp, Yahoo reports.
Tremaine testified: “We were trying to capture Amber leaving the courthouse and an alleged bruise on the right side of her face.
“She was going to sort of stop and turn towards the camera to display the alleged bruise.”
When asked by Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez whether they managed to “get the shot” of Heard, Tremaine said: “We did.”
"Their objective was to capture her leaving the courthouse and she was going to sort of stop and turn toward the camera to display the bruise on the right side of her face, the alleged bruise" – TMZ employee#JohnnyDepp #AmberHeard pic.twitter.com/rClxduUEWm
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) May 25, 2022
Tremaine went on to claim that he was assigned to photograph the Aquaman star on three other occasions during his time at TMZ.
One of the occasions he mentioned was August 6, 2016, when he was told to send paparazzi to a parking lot next to a law office where Heard was set to appear for a deposition.
“Do you typically send paparazzi to parking lots of law offices?” Vasquez asked.
“No, not at all,” Tremaine replied.
He once again confirmed that the photographers managed to “get the shot” they were after.
Tremaine also discussed a video “captured by Ms. Heard” that was sent to TMZ through their “email tip line.” The footage apparently showed Depp “slamming some cabinets.”
Morgan Tremaine, a former #TMZ employee called by #JohnnyDepp's team, explained how he received the video of Depp slamming kitchen cabinets. @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/yHOR8J4K4y
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) May 25, 2022
Tremaine suggested that TMZ owned the copyright over the footage and, when asked how this was the case, he explained: “The only way to obtain copyright over media would be if we shot it ourselves, if it was sent to the tip line and the source verified it was from the original copyright owner and then either purchased from that person or given to us and then the third option would be if it was directly given to us by the copyright holder like a direct source.”
The trial has already seen this footage, but Tremaine claimed the video TMZ received was “much shorter” than the footage shown to the court.
He added: “There was a bit at the beginning that was played here in which Ms. Heard is seemingly sort of setting up the camera and getting into position. And then, there’s a bit at the end where she’s seemingly snickering and looks at the camera. That part was not present in what we received.”
An ex-#TMZ employee testified that the original #JohnnyDepp cabinets video showed #AmberHeard "seemingly snickering." @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/ykPjPELw4G
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) May 25, 2022
Depp is currently suing his former wife Heard for defamation over an op-ed she wrote in 2018 in which she discussed the subject of domestic abuse.
Depp and his lawyers argue that the Washington Post piece falsely implies that Heard was physically and sexually abused by Depp while they were married from 2015 to 2017. He is seeking $50m in damages.
Heard is countersuing Depp for $100m, accusing him of orchestrating a smear campaign against her and is asking for immunity from the claim.
Related links:
- Amber Heard appears ‘distraught’ as court hears explicit Johnny Depp text message
- Kate Moss denies Amber Heard claim that Johnny Depp pushed her down staircase in Jamaica
- Amber Heard carried a make-up kit ‘at all times’ to cover bruises, court hears
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