Kevin Spacey displayed a sense of calm as he arrived at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday to face charges that carry a potential life sentence. The Academy Award-winning actor, who greeted reporters with a smile and a wave, has expressed confidence in his eventual acquittal on all 12 sex offense charges. These charges pertain to alleged attacks between 2001 and 2013 on four men, who are now in their 30s and 40s, and if cleared, Spacey hopes to make a comeback. The trial began with Judge Mark Wall providing instructions to the jury and is scheduled to last for four weeks. A total of 14 jurors have been selected, including two alternates, in case anyone realizes they have personal connections to the alleged victims or other parties involved in the case, according to an NBC News report.
Judge Wall acknowledged that many jurors may be familiar with 63-year-old Spacey, who was attired in a navy suit and pink tie, or may have seen his films. However, he emphasized that this familiarity does not automatically disqualify them from serving on the jury. Wall urged the jurors to refrain from consuming media coverage of the case and to solely rely on the evidence presented in the courtroom. The trial was then adjourned until Friday, when the prosecution will present their opening statements to the jury, as reported by Reuters. Throughout the trial, the four accusers, who are protected by anonymity laws, are expected to testify either via video-link or from within the courtroom behind a screen or curtain to safeguard their privacy, according to a British criminal lawyer interviewed by the New York Times. Cameras are not permitted inside the courtroom, as per the same source.
In May of last year, prosecutors announced four counts of sexual assault and an additional count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without their consent, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. These charges are connected to Spacey’s encounters with three men between March 2005 and April 2013, during his tenure as the artistic director of London’s Old Vic Theatre. Subsequently, in November, Spacey faced three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, all relating to incidents involving a fourth man between 2001 and 2004. Spacey has pleaded not guilty. (This trial follows a previous New York case where Spacey was found not liable for battery in a sexual abuse lawsuit.)
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