I think there's an agreement to be had here - and we can reach it. I'm not impressed with trial by media either (though I have enjoyed watching it from a sceptical and rational perspective).

I have a slightly different take away to this from you. I see this case as a backlash to trial by social media - which is what (unfairly) happened to Depp during the #MeToo trial. He did not get a chance to defend himself because nobody was interested, and this has been a six year long slog to have a 'both sides of the story' argument. She is getting a lot of unjust criticism but much of this could've been avoided by fair treatment in the first instance and the ACLU and Washington Post doing due dilligence.

I maintain, and have maintained for some time - that the real feminist push needs to be in the legal system. We need to get better at prosecuting the 'he said, she said' cases; we need to get better at meeting the burden of proof. We need to have better facilities for evidence collection, we need to have better information in the public sphere. We need to have private courts (anonymity granted to both accuser and accused) with specialist lawyers, specialist judges and specialist forms of cross examination. If we can shift the burden of proof towards evidence of explicit consent then we may start seeing feminism do what it says on the tin. Equal treatment of both sexes under the law... otherwise, it's going to be continuing slanging match for the rest of all time.

Love a good debate/argument/chat - it comes with the territory. Have just given my (unasked for) final thoughts on the verdict. https://medium.com/lucid-nightmare/the-final-penguin-verdict-on-the-johnny-depp-v-amber-heard-trial-c661852e5ae