Emerson Phillips
Depp v. Heard. It’s being dubbed “Madhouse at the Courthouse.”
When the trial first started, fans started to line up outside the building around 5 AM, but it’s now off the rails with Amber on the stand.
This past Sunday fans began arriving at the courthouse at 10 PM Sunday for Monday’s 9 AM start. The sheriff in Fairfax County, Virginia posted a sign the following day that read, “Effective Immediately the Line for the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Case Spectators are Not Permitted to Loiter or Camp Out on The Judicial Complex Before 1 AM.”
According to a report from TMZ, court officials have about 100 wristbands for the main courtroom, which they give out on a first-come, first-served basis. They also have an additional 100-150 wristbands for the overflow room, but still dozens of fans are turned away every day.
TMZ reports some folks are offering cash for wristbands, and there have been shouting matches when people try to cut in line.
The crowd is firmly, and almost entirely, behind Depp. He’s gotten a hero’s welcome almost every day he’s arrived. Safe to say, even if the trial doesn’t go his way, he’s not going to lose any fans. But based on evidence and testimony thus far, it certainly seems the trial should go his way.
Fans told People magazine they camped out in their cars outside the courthouse and even spent up to $30,000 on travel expenses to wait to get in.
Sharon Smith, 52, told People she crossed the ocean to see the trial. Fresh out of a 12-year relationship in Britain, Smith packed her things into a storage unit and flew to Virginia when the trial started in April. During breaks, she travels to Los Angeles, then comes back when it resumes.
“I’ve been coming back and forth from LA, so you’re looking at $600 to $700 each time, 10 hours of your life in the air,” she said. “Hotel, food, drinks – about $10,000.”
Smith arrives at the courthouse at 1 a.m. every day to land a front-row seat to the high-profile defamation trial. One morning, in particular, she got soaked in a rainstorm. When asked if she was there for Depp or Heard, she replied: “I’m getting wet for Johnny.”
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