Johnny Depp Allegedly Tries to Settle Upcoming Assault Case Before New Trial

Johnny Depp is trying to settle an assault case before it goes to trial. In court documents filed back in 2018, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor was accused of punching Gregg “Rocky” Brooks twice in his ribs on the set of City of Lies (2021) before saying he’d pay the location manager $100,000 to punch him in the face” in April 2017.

The case is scheduled to go to court in July. However, according to Radar Online, Johnny’s legal team has been negotiating with the location manager’s team until late June in order to try and settle the matter outside of court. A deal has not yet been agreed upon, though.

Johnny previously requested the cast be dismissed after alleging he “feared for his safety” and that of director Brad Furman, arguing the alleged assault was in self defense and the “defense of others.”

The crew member slammed The Lone Ranger star over his conduct in Gregg’s legal documents., alleging he “was intentional and malicious and done for the purpose of causing plaintiff to suffer humiliation.”

He also claimed that Johnny’s “intoxication and temper” created a hostile, abusive, and unsafe work environment. This eventually resulted in him being assaulted by Johnny during filming of the crime thriller when he tried to enforce a permit restriction during a late night of filming.

Gregg claims he was eventually fired from the movie when he refused to sign a release that said he couldn’t sue over what happened on set. His attorney, Arbella Azizian, said in a statement, “My client wants to make sure Mr. Depp is held accountable for his conduct on set so that, in the future, others will not be put in the same situation.”

When reports of an altercation were first raised earlier this year, director Brad Furman defended Johnny and praised the actor as a great collaborator. He said in a statement, “Johnny Depp is a consummate professional.”

“He always treats the crew and people around him with the utmost respect,” Brad went on insisting. “Movies can be stressful, and nonevents often become exaggerated. We all love stories — there isn’t one here.”

Johnny himself previously claimed to have made amends with Gregg before the suit was filed. He said during a deposition, “I had my assistant bring a bottle of wine. And we toasted in I think paper cups. And, you know, no harm, no foul. I apologized. He apologized. Gave him a hug. We embraced. You know, I hugged him. And everything was cool. As a matter of fact, he asked for a selfie with me. And so I took a selfie with him.”