Johnny Depp’s sister, who was a witness in the defamation case against him, described the troubled childhood they had at the hands their abusive mother. 

Christi Dembrowski (61), was summoned by Depp’s group to testify Tuesday. She told the jury their Kentucky upbringing.   

“Father was kind, patient and loving. He was gentle.” Our mother was very different, she stated, saying that her parents had two completely distinct personalities.

Depp looked down at the floor several times as his sister spoke. As his sister recounted their childhood, Depp seemed deeply affected.

Dembrowski answered a question about Heard’s behavior towards Depp and said that one occasion was the most memorable.

Christian Dior, who was at Depp’s desk when they arrived, called Christian Dior to inform him that they are interested in working for Depp.

She replied, “Johnny informed Amber that they were interested in him.”

She was shocked and disgusted that Dior was attempting to do business in her home. You don’t need style to be fashionable. The insult was meant to take away one minute. This insult exists.

“I have seen these insults multiple times.”

Dembrowski responded to a question about Depp’s appearance by saying that Heard would refer to him as an “old, fat man”.

Johnny Depp's sister Christi Dembrowski, 61, took the stand in his defamation trial and described their troubled childhood

Christi Dembrowski (61), Johnny Depp’s older sister, testified in the defamation case and described their turbulent childhood.

Depp at times looked to the floor as his sister spoke. He appeared to be deeply moved as his older sister recounted their childhood together

Depp looked down at the floor several times as his older sister spoke. His older sister, who was also present, made Depp look deeply affected as he recounted his childhood with her.

Christi Dembrowski, 61, was called by Depp's team to testify and told the jury about their upbringing in Kentucky. Pictured together in an undated photo

Christi Dembrowski (61), was summoned by Depp’s group to testify. She told the jury their Kentucky upbringing. They are shown together in an undated photograph 

Benjamin Chew was Depp’s lawyer and he started the lines of questioning.  

Dembrowski said that her brother is still close to Dembrowski and she was called his personal manager in the past. 

“Did father get mad at mother?” Chew asked. 

‘Yes,’ Dembrowski said. 

‘How?’ Aske4d.  

“Mom used to yell, shout at him and would hit him with her fists, calling him names, or scream at him. Dembrowski added. 

“Did your father hit on your mother?” Chew asked. Chew was curious. 

“No. He never did react when Mom hit him or shouted at him.” Dembrowski agreed. Dembrowski said, “Basically, he would let her cry and then get rid of it.” My mom was never a happy child, but he tried his best to be kind and keep it peaceful.

“How has your mother treated me and my brothers and sisters?” Chew inquired. Chew inquired. 

She treated my dad in a similar manner. She called dad names, she shouted, hit him, threw objects, and she screamed. We all had our individual names. We wouldn’t use some of them again. Violet was my first name. Violet was the mother of my father, and my mom loathed my mother’s father,’ she explained. 

“Did your mom have a name for Johnny?” He asked. 

Dembrowski explained that she was able to count on a handful of eyes, and some not to repeat. Her favorite was ”One”. He was young and doctors believed he had lazy eyes. They put a patch in his eye to help strengthen it.

“Did Johnny reply?” He asked. 

“Those names were just part of our daily life. We got used to them,’ Dembrowski said. 

“Did you get mad at your mother?” Chew asked. ‘Physical?’

“Yes she did, but I was very quiet and shy. I had to learn early that I needed to take a step back. Dembrowski stated that she would avoid trouble. “She would strike us through everything, so go grab a branch and that’s what she would use to hit us. It should be nice and green. One that isn’t nice and green.

Dembrowski said that Johnny’s mother used to get mad at her and would hit Johnny as well.   

“How, if at all?” Chew asked. Chew asked. 

He was typical of a little boy and would often cry when he got hurt. For the most part he just wanted to get away from it,’ Dembrowski said, adding that he never hit his mother back.  

According to Dembrowski, “When he grew up, even if he hit or threw objects, he wouldn’t have gone to the place where he could get away. Instead, he’d leave the region and go to his bedroom. Dembrowski claimed.

Johnny Depp is pictured with his parents, Betty Sue Palmer and John Christopher Depp, and ex Vanessa Paradis when Johnny was honored with a Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999

Johnny Depp is shown with his parents Betty Sue Palmer, John Christopher Depp and his ex Vanessa Paradis. Johnny received a Star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1998)

Dembrowski told the jury that she booked an extra hotel room for Depp and Heard whenever they traveled because Johnny would need to cool off in a separate space when they got into an argument

Dembrowski claimed to the jury she had booked an additional hotel room for Johnny and Depp whenever they were traveling, so that Johnny could cool down in separate spaces when they get into an argument. 

Asked what Heard would say about Depp's physical appearance, Dembrowski said she would call him 'an old, fat man'

Dembrowski responded to a question about Depp’s appearance by saying that Heard would refer to him as an ‘old, fat man’

Dembrowski revealed to the jury that she booked an additional room in a hotel for Depp, Heard and other guests whenever they travel.

She stated that she wanted extra space for her children when they traveled because their argument was not uncommon.

Dembrowski said that Depp could leave the room as he used to when he was young and his mother had become abusive.

She stated, “I saw the same thing happening in life.” As children, arguments and fighting were common. The first thing we did was hide away and escape from everything. This felt like a repetition of his childhood. He could find a way to do that.  

Dembrowski told the jury that she was scared to learn about Depp’s marriage to Heard.

She stated that she was shocked it would happen so quickly. Actually, I tried to convince him that he should wait a bit more and not rush.

Dembrowski claimed that Depp’s group wanted Heard signed a prenup for him to ‘protect their children’, but she didn’t sign it and the couple got married anyway.

This photo shown in court from May 2016 of Amber Heard with an apparently bruised cheek, which has been referred to as an exhibit

Amber Heard’s May 2016 court photo shows Amber Heard in court with a bruised cheek. This was referred to by the Court as an exhibit.

As part of Depp's $50m defamation case against Heard, he included images of his own bruised and battered face (pictured ) following Heard's alleged attacks

Depp bruised

Depp submitted images showing his battered and bruised face following Heard’s attacks as part of Depp’s defamation lawsuit against Heard.

Depp and  Amber Heard are squaring up over a December 2018 op-ed Heard penned for the Washington Post declaring herself a domestic violence survivor.

Depp wasn’t mentioned by the name in the article. However, the 50 million-dollar lawsuit was filed by the veteran actor claiming that he was kicked out of Pirates of the Caribbean due to the ‘clear implied’ that he was the abuser.

According to Depp, Heard claimed that Depp presented a hoax account of the May 21 2016 dust-up. This was a fake story about the events leading up to the end of their turbulent marriage.

He also claims that his ex-wife is the ‘perpetrator of violent bouts’ that have scarred their marriage, such as a famous incident in Australia when she allegedly cut his finger with vodka bottles.

Heard has countersued Depp to recover $100 million. Heard claims that Depp is vengeful and has waged years of smear campaigns using media allies, internet trolls, and other media outlets in order silence Depp’s voice and derail her acting career.

She maintains her assertion that Depp attacked her with a cellphone during their 2016 fight, despite LAPD officers concluding there were no evidence to support her claims.

They are just a few of the many possible witnesses that will give evidence in person or by video over six weeks. Others include actors Paul Bettany, James Franco, and Ellen Barkin. 

Elon Musk, who Depp claims that he had an affair with Heard when they were married is another intriguing name. This accusation has been denied by the Space X mogul.

DailyMail.com has revealed that the world’s wealthiest man is likely to evade any proceedings as he isn’t a Virginia resident so can’t be forced into evidence.

After being called a “wife beater” by The Sun newspaper, Britain’s High Court last year, Depp now faces a difficult battle to save his name.

Depp's team will cast doubt on photos of Heard's injuries by calling upon forensic pathologists and computer experts to explain how the wounds don't match up with the abuse described by the Aquaman actress

 Depp’s team will cast doubt on photos of Heard’s injuries by calling upon forensic pathologists and computer experts to explain how the wounds don’t match up with the abuse described by the Aquaman actress

After several weeks of hearing testimony, Mr Justice Nicol concluded the 2018 outlet’s article was’substantially truthful’. Heard, a father-of-two, had assaulted Heard a dozen more times and caused her to fear her life three times.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s tumultuous relationship 

February 3, 2015.

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp were married at their Los Angeles home in a civil ceremony. This was four years after the couple met on The Rum Diary’s set. Depp and Amber Heard celebrate their union with lavish celebrations on a idyllic island in Bahamas, which Depp purchased in 2004 for $3.6million.

April 21, 2015.

Heard violates Australia’s biosecurity laws after she and Depp fail declare their Yorkshire terriers upon arriving Down Under in a private plane for the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Men Tell No Tales. Heard is sentenced to a one-month $1,000 good conduct bond after admitting falsifying quarantine paperwork.

23 May 2016

After 15 months, Heard filed for divorce citing irreconcilable difference. Depp is issued with a temporary restraint order by a judge four days later over allegations of domestic violence. The tabloids published photos of Heard’s injuries, but no crime evidence was found by the LAPD.

August 16, 2016,

Heard and Depp reach a $7 million settlement in their divorce. The actress has pledged to make donations to charities. In a statement, the ex-lovers stated that they were ‘intensely passionate’ and’sometimes volatile’ in their marital relationship. However, they are bound by love. “There were never intentions to cause physical or emotional harm.”

December 18, 2018,

The Washington Post published an opinion piece by Heard. Heard is an American Civil Liberties Union ambassador for women’s right and urges support for domestic violence victims. According to the headline, “Two Years ago, I became public figures representing domestic abuse and felt the full force our culture’s anger for women who speak out,”

March 1, 2019,

Depp, despite not being mentioned in the article filed a $50 Million defamation lawsuit in Fairfax Circuit Court Virginia alleging that he was an abusiver. This suit got Depp fired from the Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise. Depp claims that he was the victim of his violence and dismisses Heard’s abuse accusations as a “hoax”.

August 10, 2020

Heard counter-sues for $100,000,000, claiming that Depp and Adam Waldman, his lawyer, targeted her with a vicious campaign of smear, using media allies, internet trolls, to amplify false stories and stop her from acting.

November 1, 2020

After losing a lawsuit with British tabloids, Depp now faces a difficult battle to protect his reputation. According to London’s laws, the judge ruled that The Sun’s article of 2018 was “substantially true” and that Heard had attacked her a dozen more times. She then began to worry about her own life.

April 11, 2022

The Covid pandemic caused long delays, but the ex-flames have finally gotten together in Fairfax County Virginia, where they are located. Fairfax County is the location of the Washington Post servers which published the controversial op-ed. Expect the trial to last 6 to 7 weeks. Ellen Barkin and Paul Bettany are expected to be witnesses.

 

London Court also heard shocking text messages Depp sent to Avengers star Bettany. They included the following: ‘Lets Burn Amber.

“Let’s drown them before we burn her!”He said it in November 2013. ‘I will f**k her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she’s dead.’

Depp’s sources claim that he didn’t consider dropping or settling his US case. Depp is now desperate to get a second chance at Virginia. The London results will remain secret from jurors, according to them.

He is armed with a team of well-paid attorneys, including Kathleen Zellner from Making a Murderer.

DailyMail.com is the leader in the disclosure of explosive audio recordings, bombshell depositions, and videos from police officers over the last two years.

This cache contains bodycam footage taken by LAPD officers visiting the couple’s LA home on the night that the 2016 blowout took place.

Heard claims that her ex-husband assaulted her before smashing up their $1.5 million home – but his lawyers will argue the videos don’t show any trace of damage.

Depp’s team also plans to cast doubts on Heard’s injuries photos by calling in forensic pathologists as well as computer specialists to help explain why the wounds aren’t consistent with what the Aquaman actress has claimed.

Heard may be confronted with audio recordings of her talking about Depp’s attack and asking if anyone thinks he was domestic violence victim.

“I cannot promise that I will not get physically again.” God I f**king sometimes get so mad I lose it,’ she says in one clip, previously published by DailyMail.com.

‘Tell the world Johnny Depp, a man, I’m a victim too of domestic violence … see how many believe or side with you,’ she adds in a second.

Heard’s pledge to release her $7 million settlement in divorce, which was split between the ACLU Los Angeles and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, is also under scrutiny.

DailyMail.com reported that Depp’s lawyers requested the subpoena of both organizations last spring to see if any funds were ever received.

Jurors will be told that $100,000 was actually received by the hospital, instead of the $3.5 million promised, and $450,000 went to the ACLU.

A second $500,000 was received from an individual named “Elon”, who Depp’s lawyers will claim is Elon Musk.

Heard claims she is going to honor the pledge, but due to spiraling legal costs with Depp has not been able.

According to insiders, the couple has spent more than $20 million together.

Depp and Heard met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011, married four years later – then split in a little over a year amid a slew of blood curdling domestic violence allegations and tabloid headlines.

The couple divorced in 2017. It appeared that the fight was over. Heard wrote a December 2018 opinion-ed entitled: “I became a public figure for domestic abuse and felt the full power of culture’s anger at women who speak up.”

Depp was prompted by the article to file for defamation at Virginia where several Washington Post offices are located. Heard isn’t a victim to domestic abuse, she is the perpetrator.

Heard counterclaims that her abuse by her ex was real for years and she is entitled to speak about the matter under the First Amendment.

Depp’s lawyer Adam Waldman, a long-time friend and trusted ally of Depp, claimed that Depp made media comments calling Depp a liar. He also called her claims hoaxes and labeled her career a disaster.

Depp and Waldman are also being accused of harassing her via Twitter. They propagated smear articles and used fake accounts to amplify negative coverage. She demanded twice the amount in damages from her ex-husband.

It’s not all about money according to Heard’s confidantes, but it is about Heard’s ability to’reclaim her voice’ as well as her advocacy for victims of abuse.

Depp could be relegated to obscurity if she wins. Depp is a three-time Oscar nominee and star of over 50 Hollywood films that have grossed $10 billion.

According to his rep, there is no way back.

The spokeswoman stated that this case was being tried because the court acknowledged the significant number of evidence, witnesses, and preliminary victories in support of Johnny.

“To refuse the chance to clear one’s name and let someone take advantage of the system and walk away without any repercussions would have been careless. It could also set dangerous precedents for other similar situations.