The Lawsuits Thread

Discuss the latest Johnny Depp news, his career, past and future projects, and other related issues.
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humiliatedgrape
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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by humiliatedgrape » Tue May 01, 2018 8:36 pm

I’m not sure where to post this but as it seems related to his current troubles I thought I’d add it to this thread. I’m not sure what to make of it. From Deadline:


Johnny Depp Hit In Unpaid Bodyguards Suit; Claims Of Drug Use & “Chaos”

Dominic Patten
May 1, 2018 12:41PM PDT

Already facing multi-million-dollar legal battles with his former business managers and former lawyers, Johnny Depp now looks to have to seek protection from two of his ex-bodyguards.

“Terminated” back in 2016 and then rehired in a new employee capacity after several years working for the Murder On The Orient Express actor, Eugene Arreola and Miguel Sanchez today hit Depp with a multi-claim lawsuit over unpaid wages and working conditions. As with the ongoing big bucks dust-ups with The Management Group and the Bloom Firm, this action pulls back the curtain on Depp’s private life and excesses, perhaps damningly.

“In early 2016 Plaintiffs began to notice a stark change in Depp and the atmosphere on his Hollywood Hills compound,” the jury trial-seeking-complaint filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court revealed (read it here). “Depp began making sudden and drastic changes to his staff and management team, causing a significant financial crunch for everyone surrounding Depp, except for Depp himself,” the paperwork also said. With allegations of “chaos,” a “financial hurricane” and more, this is language very familiar to those who have followed the other lawsuits and their tales of excess and the consequences overlooked.

“Often times Plaintiffs were forced to protect Defendant Depp from himself and his vices while in public,” the duo claim. “An incident at a local nightclub involved Plaintiffs alerting Depp of illegal substances visible on his face and person while preventing onlookers from noticing Depp’s condition,” the failure to pay wages, wrongful termination and unlawful business practices claiming filing added.

“As a result of the toxic and dangerous work environment and the constant labor code violations of their employers, Plaintiffs were forced to leave their employment despite the fact that they enjoyed many of the people they worked with and have no ill will toward Johnny Depp,” the experienced and dedicated bodyguards state.

“After years of happily working for Johnny Depp and his family, my clients found themselves in unsafe and unacceptable situations once Edward White took the reins,” attorney Tamar Arminak told Deadline today of Depp’s business partner, who is also a defendant in the new case. “As a result of White’s control and mismanagement, Depp owes my clients for significant unpaid wages,” the Glendale-based lawyer declared.

Having gone through a couple of law firms and attorneys in recent months like his Pirates of the Caribbean character Captain Jack chugs back the rum, Depp is set to go to trial in August against TMG. Whether or not that actually occurs is up in the air as a scheduled deposition in the January 2017 filed $25 million case by Plaintiff Depp has been postponed several times due to his rotating cast of attorneys.

While he may or may not still be working with the Oscar nominee, Washington DC-based lawyer Adam Waldman did not respond today to request for comment on this latest suit. As with the two other suits, this one from Arreola and Sanchez calls Depp’s financial stability into account, again.

As well as facing an unpaid commissions cross-complaint and foreclosure move from the well established TMG, Depp is also being sued back by his former longtime lawyers at Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman LLP. Depp went after the Hollywood heavyweights for $30 million in October 2017, declaring that the attorneys were in cahoots with TMG to rip him off after years of loyal service and seemingly wild spending by the well compensated star.

I think we are all somewhat screwy, every single one of us.

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Judymac
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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by Judymac » Tue May 01, 2018 8:59 pm

I saw this story on Yahoo. The Yahoo story named the bodyguards as Eugene Arreola, a retired police detective, and Miguel Sanchez . Has anyone heard of these two bodyguards? I know that he probably has a team of bodyguards but I have always seen him with Jerry Judge. Jerry seems to be with him whenever he is in public and he stays very close to Johnny. I wonder how much contact these bodyguards had with Johnny. It sounds like they are trying to cash in on his troubles.
Last edited by Judymac on Tue May 01, 2018 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by Lbock » Tue May 01, 2018 9:07 pm

I don’t know them. Leonard Damien who is also being sued, is the lead security guy now. He was Lily Roses main security guy I think,,Lenz. I am assuming he is the same guy. He has deleted his IG account.

I now of Sean and Jerry. I’ve seen Sean with Johnny quite allot lately especially in LA

One of the guards I guess was assigned to Jack.

My opinion...So Ed White comes in and cut down all business expenses rightfully so. He especially cuts down on the cost of security, cutting out the middleman (agency). The new agents claim to be employees of Depp but Ed White claims they are independent contractors and that they received a 1099 at the end of 2016. So the gravy train has been shut down. Now these guys are stuck working in Los Angeles and missing out on all the travel and glamour of celebrity life . So they’re a little unhappy having to spend their time in the compound or with the kids more often so let’s see if we can grab some cash on the way out the door. I hope it smacks them in the butt on the way out and no one hires these bozos

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Judymac
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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by Judymac » Tue May 01, 2018 9:19 pm

LBock, I also remember that Lily Rose had a bodyguard named Len. I thought Jerry was the head of security. Is he not the head of security anymore?

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by Lbock » Tue May 01, 2018 9:36 pm

Judymac wrote:LBock, I also remember that Lily Rose had a bodyguard named Len. I thought Jerry was the head of security. Is he not the head of security anymore?
I think with the major cutback on expenses the answer would be no. I think Jerry is used in Europe and when the studios pay his fee. Only my guess.

Yes I think Lenz is/was Lily Roses security, but I am wondering if he was also promoted to head security with Ed White. His name is close to the Leonard guy and he has since deleted his IG???

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by sleepy » Tue May 01, 2018 11:25 pm

Good lord. I can't even respond to this mess anymore.
Funny ol' world, innit?

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by SnoopyDances » Wed May 02, 2018 12:13 am

If I recall correctly, Johnny’s original suit mentioned something about TMG recommending too much security for his needs and that he cut back his security team.

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by AdeleAgain » Wed May 02, 2018 1:10 am

Lbock I think your analysis sounds very plausible. I tried googling for pictures of these guys and couldn't find them so I wonder just how central they were. As I understand it Jerry has his own company and is with Johnny on public occasions but it would surely be crazy to have him doing security at home. Isn't there also a guy called Malcolm?

The extraordinary thing - and this goes back to Johnny as click bait - this is really just such a nonsense, not-a-big-deal story. Hollywood stars are forever having employment disputes with nannies and assistants and the like. And it is so easy to make things into a big deal. Some of the stories have made it sound as if Jack is a neglected little thing living in a forgotten shack somewhere with only the faithful bodyguard to watch him. Surely he's at his mother's house in LA? He is 16, he'd be mortified at having a nanny! And then of course they have to throw in a random, unspecified incident with drugs.

I don't doubt the mood in early 2016 was pretty dark. But to imply (and they have given no specifics on dates etc) that there's been drug fuelled chaos through the past two years is hard to believe when Johnny looks in great physical shape and has managed to make five films in that time in which all the gossip is that he was also in great shape professionally.

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sleepy
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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by sleepy » Wed May 02, 2018 3:04 am

Very sound thoughts on the matter. The main problem with all these wild accusations being spread all over the internet is it is making Johnny look like a out of control celebrity who is messed up beyond belief. As Johnny is basically a recluse, someone refusing to step up and show people he's of sound body and mind, I'm thinking at the moment he is not someone a studio would want to deal with. So sorry to see how this is ending.
Funny ol' world, innit?

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by AdeleAgain » Wed May 02, 2018 3:08 am

Oh don't say that - it isn't ending!

Fantastic Beasts. I think he's gonna be awesome - the buzz around the new trailer is encouraging.

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by meeps » Wed May 02, 2018 4:47 am

What is it with people suing Johnny or going up against him at court ...

Amber Heard told all kind of nasty stories to the press apparently thinking, that that would help her case. The former financial adviser and lawyer did too. And now these two ... No, I will be polite, and not call them, what I am thinking. But these two former bodyguards do it also. Do they really think, that that will help them in court?
Will it?
Is that normal in other court cases?

I also can't help wondering; if his bodyguards really saw drugs around Johnny - and around his underaged kids too - wouldn't it be their duty to go to the police? Can they not get in trouble with the law for now admitting, that they saw it, but did nothing?

Now I am all for employees getting paid fairly, and have the breaks and so on, they're entitled to. So I wouldn't complain, if the two men had just sued Johnny to get the money, they believe, they are owed. And perhaps also some sort of compensation for the lacking breaks. That is fair, in my opinion.
But are they really so strapped for cash, that they have to sell gossip to get by? And doing that, for whatever reason, is not fair in my opinion!

Maybe they think though, that Johnny is so loved by people all around, and might be able to charm judge and jury too, that they have to blacking his name even before standing up in court, and testify. As normal grownups would, I feel like adding.

I also agree with Ade. IF Johnny is almost constantly high or drunk, how can he make movies (and music) all the time?
Or even survive. And look as great, as he does?

The article claims, that his substance abuse problem is well documented. But documented by whom? Has the police time and again arrested him for it, so there is police files and court documents to quote?
Or is it only "documented" by gossip mags speculations?

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by AdeleAgain » Wed May 02, 2018 9:34 am

Totally agree - so sorry I keep wading in. The fact that they have thrown in gossipy detail which doesn't have anything to do with the case shows that they are seeking either publicity or revenge. I've seen elsewhere (and don't know if it is true) that at least of them was recently fired.

In parts of 2015 and 2016 - and at other times too - you can see he is on something and certainly drinking too much. But that look has been gone since about September 2016 when he came back from Ibiza - seems like he really got away from it all - and went back to work.

The press are obsessed with going after Johnny (and my friends who are equally as interested in other stars tell me it is not just him!) Hollywood-actor-in-law-suit-with-former-employee is hardly anything new.

I so hope all of this doesn't make him hide from FB - he was clearly very anxious at the MOTOE premiere, no doubt because the last one he did was just when the AH mess unfolded and his mother died. He's so lovely with fans it would be such a shame if he doesn't come out to play.

I am really happy he is going out on tour with the band as I always had the feeling that possibly saved him in the summer of 2016.

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by Lbock » Wed May 02, 2018 11:38 am

“Saw one of them at least might have been fired”

It is quite possible that there was a problem and they were asked to resign. This often happens, voluntarily resign and we can still potentially recommend you for a job, for example. So even if they stated in the document they resigned, might not have been at their own choice. Speculation

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by Judymac » Wed May 02, 2018 1:43 pm

sleepy wrote:Very sound thoughts on the matter. The main problem with all these wild accusations being spread all over the internet is it is making Johnny look like a out of control celebrity who is messed up beyond belief. As Johnny is basically a recluse, someone refusing to step up and show people he's of sound body and mind, I'm thinking at the moment he is not someone a studio would want to deal with. So sorry to see how this is ending.
I don't see this ending his movie career. (I am not sure if that is what you meant). There are others who have survived much worse. The first person that comes to mind is Robert Downey Jr. Besides, Johnny has his music. I think touring with the Hollywood Vampires is the best thing that can happen to him. He is getting out of Los Angeles and away from all of the garbage.

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Re: The Lawsuits Thread

Unread post by ForeverYoung » Wed May 02, 2018 8:19 pm

We need to have faith. Sure setbacks will happen but Johnny will move forward. He has new counsel that are experts in their field. According to the LA Case Summary site, a substitution of attorney was filed on 4/20/18.

BROWN RUDNICK LLP - Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner

Here is an overview of their practice.
http://www.brownrudnick.com/practice/wh ... tigations/
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