The scandalous celebrity trials that were even more insane than Cardi B’s, from Diddy to Depp

Celebrity trials have become TV shows in their own right, and while they never get picked up for a second season, the court appearances are watched by millions from across the globe.

The most recent example would be the assault trial of Cardi B. Security guard Emani Ellis had alleged that Cardi B scratched her with a three-inch nail and spat at her during an appointment at an obstetrician’s office in 2018. Cardi pleaded not guilty to assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and false imprisonment, with the jury finding her not guilty after just an hour of deliberation.

But our addiction to celebrity trials is less about the legal process itself and more about those moments that give us a peek behind their public personas. In the case of Cardi B, that was enough viral moments to keep TikTok satiated for weeks, from Cardi switching out her wigs to saying “B*tch, get the f**k out of my face” whilst on the stand.

Still, Cardi B’s recent legal troubles were only the tip of one very captivating iceberg.

Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard was a dark time in pop culture

2022 marked the year that Johnny Depp and Amber Heard came face to face in a defamation trial that would divide public opinion. He filed for $50 million in damages after her op-ed in the Washington Post that accused him of “sexual violence” and “domestic abuse”, with Amber retaliating with a lawsuit of her own that demanded $100 million in damages.

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Over the course of two months, the two actors were dragged through intense cross-examination as a range of witnesses testified for and against them. The televised nature of the trial meant every single moment could be analysed by everyone on the internet, and Twitter soon became a battleground of public opinion.

Though the jury eventually sided with Johnny Depp, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, the wider cultural discussion was a highly debated talking point for months afterwards.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s civil lawsuit was practically a satire

Gwyneth Paltrow’s beef with retired optometrist Terry Sanderson was nothing if not strangely alluring. It was all over a 2016 skiing incident where Terry alleged that the Goop founder had crashed into him, causing traumatic brain injury. He sued for $300,000 for the physical and emotional damages he sustained at the ski park in Utah, with Gwyneth countersuing for the grand sum of $1.

The funniest part about this whole trial was the clear indifference Gwyneth felt. She just didn’t want to be there, and her icy responses and perfectly timed smirks produced many a viral moment.

Nobody could look away from Diddy’s trial

The United States of America versus Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was the culmination of many sexual assault claims dating back years. After an FBI raid on his properties, which turned up everything from assault weapons to a 1,000 bottles of baby oil, he stood before a New York federal court where his infamous freak-off parties were exposed in graphic detail.

Unlike Gwyneth’s, which largely went viral for being ridiculous, Diddy’s trial became so prolific because of the graphic nature of the crimes. One particularly devastating testimony came from Diddy’s ex, Cassie Ventura, who detailed years of alleged abuse. After three days of deliberation, the court found him not guilty on one count of racketeering conspiracy, not guilty on the sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura, and not guilty of sex trafficking Jane Doe. However, he was found guilty on both charges of transportation for prostitution.

The fallout from the trial is still being felt now, with Diddy reportedly looking for a re-trial in the near future.

A$AP Rocky was spared from a potentially decades-long prison sentence

Over the course of a two-week trial in Los Angeles, California, the court heard how A$AP Rocky had allegedly fired a gun at a former friend, Terell Ephron. The rapper waved a plea deal, standing firm on his innocence in a move that could have landed him with 24 years behind bars if found guilty.

It eventually came out that the gun used was a prop, and everyone involved in the shooting was aware that it could do no real damage. A$AP Rocky was cleared of the charges, and in the most viral moment, he jumped across the stand at Rihanna in celebration.

OJ Simpson was decades ago, but constantly referenced

It’s hard to talk about celebrity trials without noting arguably the most famous one of all time, OJ Simpson. Though it was long before our time, taking place back in 1995, to this day, it is constantly referenced in pop culture.

The trial, which spanned a whopping eight months, saw actor and athlete OJ Simpson accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman, who were stabbed to death outside of his home. The legal proceedings were hugely controversial and incredibly divisive, and even now, people still debate what actually happened. OJ Simpson was found not guilty on October 3, 1995.

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Featured image credit: Law & Crime Network/Court TV