Johnny Depp Settles Suit Claiming He Punched Crew Member, Offered $100k For Retaliation
A trial was set to begin July 25 on claims Depp struck location manger Gregg “Rocky” Brooks in the rib cage and said, “I will give you $100,000 to punch me in the face right now.”
Actor Johnny Depp arrives in the courtroom after a break at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., Monday May 2, 2022. Steve Helber/AP
Johnny Depp isn’t interested in testing his luck with another jury. Fresh off his victory in the televised trial that showcased his bruising defamation battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, the actor reached a last-minute deal to avoid a civil trial in Los Angeles over claims he punched a location manager on the set of City of Lies in 2017, a Monday court filing reveals.
The underlying lawsuit brought by Gregg “Rocky” Brooks was scheduled to begin trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court on July 25 after years of delay. It had a pre-trial hearing set for Tuesday that was taken off calendar after the “notice of settlement of entire case” was sent to the judge Monday.
“The settlement agreement conditions dismissal of this matter on the satisfactory completion of specified terms,” the notice filed by Brooks’ lawyer reads. It says a final request for dismissal will be filed no later than Jan. 5, 2023, assuming the undisclosed terms of the private pact are met.
According to Brooks’ 2018 complaint, Depp exploded in anger on April 13, 2017 when Brooks told him he only had time for one more take on a scene that he was directing because the two permit extensions Brooks obtained to extend shooting late into the night were about to expire.
“Who the fuck are you? You have no right to tell me what to do,” Depp allegedly yelled at Brooks. “I don’t give a fuck who you are, and you can’t tell me what to do!”
Depp “forcefully” struck Brooks twice in his left lower rib cage while his breath reeked of alcohol, the lawsuit alleged.
When Brooks refused to fight back, Depp allegedly screamed, “I will give you $100,000 to punch me in the face right now,” the complaint said.
City of Lies, which co-starred Forest Whitaker, is a 2018 thriller based on the unsolved murders of rap stars Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. Depp portrayed former LAPD detective Russell Poole.
One of Depp’s lawyers listed on the dismissal notice is Camille Marilia Vasquez, who gained notoriety for cross-examining Heard in the Virginia trial.
From Rolling Stone US.
