The ongoing courtroom battle between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard has led to the emergence of a veritable black market where buyers can procure access to the hearings, TMZ reports.
According to the media outlet, court officials have about 100 wristbands for the main courtroom and an additional 100-150 for the overflow room, provided on a first come, first served basis to those seeking to attend the proceedings.
Since the number of people who want to witness the events transpiring in the courtroom seems to be much greater than that. At one point fans started to line up outside the building at around 5 a.m., when the trial first started, with shouting matches reportedly breaking out when someone attempted to cut in line, and some folks "offering cash for wristbands".
TMZ also notes that the crowd that assembles in the area is "almost entirely supporters of Depp", and that the actor has received a "hero’s welcome" practically every day he has arrived at the courthouse.
Johnny Depp is suing Amber Heard for $50 million, alleging that she defamed him in an opinion column she published in The Washington Post (printed in Fairfax County) in December 2018.
In the publication in question, Heard claimed to have been a victim of domestic abuse, while never directly naming Depp.