n his twenty-fifth artist's book Volker Renner adapts the courtroom drama genre. On the movie
screen the latter is defined by its heavy reliance on dialogue Renner by contrast lets the
pictures speak. And it was images not words that moved the millions who through twenty-five
days of proceedings seized on the opportunity to watch the livestream of the trial pitting
Johnny Depp against Amber Heard on Court TV YouTube or various other social media channels.
Both the ex-husband and wife's media-savvy self-dramatization and the viewers' reactions and
comments grew to hitherto unseen dimensions. The two actors' private lives were staged for all
to see reality-show-style as though as based on a secret screenplay. In Ein Prozess Volker
Renner now opens the pages of that storyboard. Each day of the hearings and trial in 2021 and
2022 is the subject of a dedicated chapter in which the artist has the principal characters
appear in film stills he extracted from the recordings from the trial. Hewing to a rigorously
documentary approach he compiles a visual transcript of the presentation of evidence making
it accessible to a discourse analysis that in the Foucauldian tradition investigates not just
language but above all the language of images. Even the allegation that prompted the trial
concerned the damage to a star's public image rather than a truth that could be borne out by
evidence: more than anything else it is images that are seen and read today and that in being
seen and read exert the greatest power imaginable in the struggle over what is right and fair.
The jury agreed with a public majority in finding in Johnny Depp's favor. A matter of
performance? J O H N C . D E P P I I v. A M B E R L A U R A H E A R D was a trial held in
Fairfax County Virginia from April 11 2022 to June 1 2022 that ruled on allegations of
defamation between formerly married American actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. Depp as
plaintiff filed a complaint of defamation against defendant Heard claiming $50 million in
damages Heard filed counterclaims against Depp claiming $100 million in damages. D E P P V. H
E A R D Court Fairfax County Circuit Court Full case name John C. Depp II v. Amber Laura Heard
Started April 11 2022 Decided June 1 2022 Verdict. DEPP'S COMPLAINT Heard was found liable in
all three matters of defamation raised. Depp was awarded $10 million (of the $50 million claim)
in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages (reduced to $350 000 per state law
limit). HEARD'S COUNTERCLAIMS Depp was found liable in one of three matters of defamation
raised and Heard was awarded $2 million (of the $100 million claim) in compensatory damages.
Court membershipJudge(s) sitting Penney S. Azcarate (Bruce D. White ruled on pre-trial
motions). TESTIMONY Witness lists were submitted by both parties prior to trial. Witness
testimony began on April 12 following the parties' presentation of their opening statements
and ended on May 26.
