Amber Heard's Lawyer Denies Johnny Depp Blackmail Accusations, Calls Them "Unequivocally False" (UPDATE)

A lawyer representing Heard, Peter Sample, said the "allegations against Ms. Heard are absolutely and unequivocally false."

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UPDATE 2:50 p.m.: Two of Amber Heard's attorneys, Samantha Spector and Joseph Koenig, released a statement, a portion of which was published on Us Weekly. The statement says that white Heard has had few words to say publicly about the abuse allegations against Depp and the divorce, she should not have her silence held against her or taken as a sign that she is being deceitful:

As the result of Amber’s decision to decline giving an initial statement to the LAPD, her silence has been used against her by Johnny’s team. Amber did not provide a statement to the LAPD in an attempt to protect her privacy and Johnny’s career. Johnny’s team has forced Amber to give a statement to the LAPD to set the record straight as to the true facts, as she cannot continue to leave herself open to the vicious false and malicious allegations that have infected the media. Amber has suffered through years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Johnny.

In another portion of the statement published by Vanity Fair, Spector and Koenig called Heard a "hero" for speaking up about the alleged abuse:

We took the high road. Unfortunately, Johnny’s team immediately went to the press and began viciously attacking Amber’s character. Amber is simply a victim of domestic violence, and none of her actions are motivated by money. Amber is a brave and financially independent woman who is showing the courage of her convictions by doing the right thing against Johnny’s relentless army of lawyers and surrogates. . . . Amber is the victim. Amber is a hero.

See original story below.

The whole country seems to be talking about the divorce of actress Amber Heard from her now estranged spouse, actor Johnny Depp, amid allegations from Heard that Depp had been physically and verbally abusive toward her. Doug Stanhope, a friend of Depp's, wrote an essay on Sunday for The Wrap claiming that Heard is "blackmailing Depp," leading Heard's lawyers to adamantly deny there's any blackmail happening.

A lawyer representing Heard, Peter Sample, told The Wrap on Monday that the "allegations against Ms. Heard are absolutely and unequivocally false," and the idea that Heard is blackmailing Depp "has no basis in reality and is nothing but the typical celebrity muckraking for profit."

Stanhope's column claimed that Heard was the one who had manipulated and verbally abused Depp for years even prior to their recent marriage, but that he and other friends never spoke to Depp about their concerns for his wellbeing for fear of being "thrown out of the circle." He wrote further that he and others had witnessed Heard "f*ck with [Depp] at his weakest," and threaten to lie about him publicly. 

It has been less than a week since news of Heard filing for divorce broke on May 25, but there has been a deluge of public response to the news of the alleged abuse beyond just Stanhope's column.

Depp's former long-term partner Vanessa Paradis reportedly penned a letter defending Depp, and One of Depp's children with Paradis, Lily Rose, posted a photo of herself as a toddler with Depp to her Instagram, writing, "My dad is the sweetest, most loving person I know."

Further, TMZ has reported from anonymous sources that two security guards, Jerry Judge and Sean Bett, said they could hear Heard and Depp during an argument where Heard yelled for Depp to stop hitting her, but that they could hear that Heard and Depp were standing far apart. 

On the other side, many fans have called for a boycott on Depp's band's performances and his movies in a show of solidarity with Heard. 

Representatives for Amber Heard and Johnny Depp did not immediately reply to Complex's requests for comment.

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