Depp v Heard: the unreal story extract chapters 1-2

The Uk Trial 7
There was one small problem. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get
back into court for day two. One journalist who wasn’t on the designated
list had been turfed out by the ushers, so as not to compromise the
strictly enforced social distancing rules. I emailed a request to the High
Court press office asking if I could attend Depp v NGN as an independent
freelancer. I did not receive a response.
The best three words of advice to any budding reporter are: Get.
There. Early. Arriving well before something is scheduled to begin
gives you the opportunity to ingratiate yourself with people who may
end up helping you. With this in mind, I pitched up in good time on
day two, got through front entrance security, made my way to the West
Green Wing and spent a few minutes outside Court 38 chatting to my
fellow early-doors reporters.
Half an hour before proceedings began, a hurried-looking usher,
black robes flapping behind him, came to unlock the courtroom door.
As he was leaving, one of the journalists asked if it was alright to go in.
There were only four of us. In the usher’s eyes we looked kosher, and
possibly familiar from the previous day. Rather than check us off his
list, he nodded and silently held the door open for us, before rushing
off again.
I strolled in, sat down and established a data connection. Using the
available downtime to repurpose an online tip jar (set up to fund my
coverage of a previous court case), I told my Twitter followers I had a
place in court. I posted a link to the tip jar and suggested that if anyone
wanted to make a small contribution towards my travel and lunch costs
for the day I would be grateful.
And off we went. I tweeted everything that was happening that
day and for the next two weeks, funded by donations from people all
over the world, desperate for information about what was being said
in court.