In the midst of a nasty divorce battle in which actress Amber Heard has accused Johnny Depp of repeated verbal and physical abuse, TMZ reported Tuesday that Amber Heard was arrested for domestic violence in 2009 against her then-girlfriend, artist and photographer Tasya van Ree.
An argument between Heard and van Ree on September 14, 2009 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport quickly became violent, according to court documents first reported on by the gossip site. The documents reportedly reveal that Heard hit van Ree on her arm.
The actress was arrested and charged with one count of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Audio of Heard’s court hearing, obtained by TMZ, reveals that the state’s attorney declined to prosecute the case, with the judge warning Heard that she could refile at anytime within the two-year statute of limitation period.
In a petition to secure a restraining order against Depp filed in a California court in May, Heard alleged that Depp repeatedly verbally and physically abused her during the course of their 15-month marriage. The actress filed for divorce from the Pirates of the Caribbean star earlier that month.
Depp and his attorneys have denied all allegations that he physically assaulted Heard.
“Amber is attempting to secure a premature financial resolution by alleging abuse,” Laura Wasser, an attorney representing Depp, told UK newspaper the Mirror last month. “Amber is a successful model and actress who earns her own income and is capable of supporting herself.”
The LAPD officers who responded to Heard’s 911 call on the night of the latest alleged incident say they could see no evidence of Heard’s injuries.
Last week, photographs of Amber Heard’s bruised and bloodied face were published by People magazine. The photos were reportedly taken during an alleged violent incident in December 2015.
Entertainment Tonight later published text messages purported to be sent from Heard’s cellphone that appeared to show that Depp’s alleged physical abuse of his wife dates back to at least 2014. However, a source close to Depp has claimed that the text messages were doctored.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson
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