The ongoing court battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard took a new turn when Amber Heard’s friend testified that Johnny Depp joked about ‘punching’ the actress ‘in the face’ just minutes after the famous stars walked down the aisle at their wedding.

According to multiple reports, iO Tillett Wright testified in Depp’s ongoing defamation trial with a UK tabloid who called the actor a ‘wife-beater.’ During the testimony, the author and activist told the court the ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’ star joked about punching his new wife just minutes after getting married.

“The first thing Johnny said to me after the ceremony, as we walked to the reception, was ‘now I can punch her in the face and no one can do anything about it’,” Wright said

Tillett Wright, who testified via video link, admitted to the court “He probably intended it as a joke,” but said, “but it is only a joke if it’s not real – and by then I knew he was hitting her.”

Amber’s pal told the court the two were very close and was aware that Johnny was ‘violent’ in their relationship.

“I knew Amber and Johnny’s relationship was volatile and involved a lot of verbal abuse and emotional lashing out. But it wasn’t until late 2013 or early 2014 that I understood that he was physically violent towards her,” iO testified.