The defamation lawsuit between actor Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard has caused much ink to flow from its inception to its conclusion on Thursday. Not only was it closely followed by the traditional media, but social networks also occupied an important place in the dissemination of this trial.
• To read also: The legal victory of Johnny Depp “potentially catastrophic” for the victims of violence
However, this is not the only trial to have been widely publicized. Here are seven more that happened in the United States, but also closer to home.
Bill Cosby
The 80-year-old American actor was found guilty of sexual assault in a highly publicized trial held in April 2018.
The facts date back to January 2004 when Bill Cosby abused an ex-basketball player at her home in Pennsylvania when she could not defend herself.
Mr. Cosby was released from prison on June 30, 2021, but was once again charged with sexual assault, this time towards a minor. The event would have happened 50 years ago.
Michele Richard
The Quebec star is quite well known to the courts, especially in matters of impaired driving.
The 76-year-old artist had to go to the courthouse four times where she was acquitted on her first two visits. However, in 2009 and 2019, she received penalties such as a $3,000 fine and a one-year license suspension.
R. Kelly
The trial of singer R. Kelly is considered a milestone in the movement
Jacob Hoggard
The trial of Jacob Hoggard, lead singer of the Canadian band Hedley, began on May 5. The trial is still ongoing and is expected to conclude in June.
The 37-year-old musician was charged with sexual assault causing bodily harm and inappropriate sexual touching by two people in 2018, including a teenage girl. The events allegedly occurred in 2016 in Toronto.
Hoggard pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Michael Jackson
Pop singer Michael Jackson was facing charges of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, three counts of obscene acts on a child, attempted obscene acts on a child and four counts of administering intoxicants to help them perpetrate.
Accused in 1993 of sexual abuse, the king of pop will see his charges fall following an amicable agreement. But the second trial he faced in 2003 on similar charges is the one that caught the media attention and is remembered by everyone. Jackson was finally acquitted in 2005, four years before his death.
Eric Lapointe
The very popular Quebec singer pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman in the Municipal Court of Montreal in 2020. The events occurred during a party to celebrate his 50th birthday.
"I sincerely regret what happened," he told the judge. My intoxication in no way justifies my behavior, it is an additional reason to continue the fight that I have been leading against alcoholism for several years.
Mr. Lapointe will ultimately have no criminal record for the actions he committed.
Genevieve Sabourin
Convicted of harassment of American actor Alec Baldwin in 2013, Geneviève had been talked about a lot in the gossip media of the United States and Canada. She was sentenced to six months in prison.
Back in Quebec, Ms. Sabourin will have new problems with the law. She was found guilty on April 7 of obstructing the work of a special constable at the Longueuil courthouse.
