Johnny Depp has claimed an alleged assault on a crew member on the set of Tupac movie City Of Lies was in self-defence.
The actor is accused of punching location manager Greg “Rocky” Brooks twice in the ribs when he tried to enforce permit restrictions on set. Brooks has since filed a lawsuit against Depp.
In legal documents obtained by The Wrap, Depp’s attorneys do not admit the star or his co-defendants hit Brooks, but say the location manager’s behaviour caused Depp to “fear for his safety”.
The legal filing read: “The acts complained of by Plaintiff were provoked by Plaintiff’s unlawful and wrongful conduct in that Plaintiff wilfully and maliciously acted out and conducted his activities in such a manner as to cause Defendant Depp to fear for his safety, and according to Defendant Depp’s observations, Defendant Brad Furman for his safety.”
It continued to state that “the Complaint and each of its causes of action are barred or recovery reduced by Plaintiff’s own carelessness, recklessness and/or negligence.”
Depp asked for a judgement in his favour and that the costs of the suit, attorney fees and further relief be returned to him.
In a statement, his lawyer Adam Waldman said: “Despite false media reports suggesting otherwise, Johnny Depp never touched the person suing him, as over a dozen witnesses present will attest. In a court filing we have generally denied all claims and we will fight these latest sham allegations.”
In the lawsuit filed in July, Brooks claimed that Depp reacted violently when he told City Of Lies’ crew the production would have to move on after one more take of a scene. As well as allegedly punching him twice, Brooks said Depp taunted him and offered him $100,000 (£78,000) to punch him the face.
City Of Lies was due to be released on September 7 but was pulled earlier this month (August 7). No new release date or reason behind its cancellation have been given at present. Depp was due to play LA detective Russell Poole, who had spent years trying to solve the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.