Amber Heard files defamatory case against Johnny Depp's comedian pal

In addition to an ongoing legal battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, the actress has filed a new lawsuit, but this time it is against his friend Doug Stanhope.

Charles J. Harder, Heard's civil litigation counsel, told E! Online about Heard's new lawsuit, which she filed in the Arizona Superior Court for the County of Cochise.

According to the court documents, the 30-year-old actress alleged that the 49-year-old stand-up comedian has made "highly defamatory and very hurtful statements" against her, reports E!Online.

The lawsuit, which demands "the maximum possible jury award," states that "as part of a coordinated effort," Stanhope and Depp have tried to publicly defame her.

The documents further said that "in a classic case of attacking the victim," Depp and Stanhope are trying to "destroy her good name and reputation, and severely harm her hard-earned entertainment career."

The lawsuit has come in response to a guest article that Stanhope wrote for an entertainment news portal.

The article titled 'Johnny Depp Is Being Blackmailed by Amber Heard-Here's How I Know' claimed that the 'Hidden Palms' actress "was threatening to lie about [Depp] publicly in any and every possible duplicitous way if he didn't agree to her terms."

Heard has filed for divorce on May 23, accusing Depp of domestic violence.