Actor Kevin Spacey is awaiting a verdict from a British jury working to determine if he is guilty of several sexual offenses, a decision that could result in a career-ending jail sentence for the two-time Oscar winner.
Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to nine charges against him relating to accusations from four men spanning two decades. The charges include sexual assault, indecent assault, and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.
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The four-week trial began on June 28, and it featured high-profile stars serving as character witnesses or being asked to corroborate timelines as the jury heard about several instances of alleged misconduct.
Here are key elements from the trial as the jury mulls a verdict.
Who are the accusers?
The accusers, all men in their 30s and 40s, have not been publicly identified. The alleged incidents took place between 2001 and 2013.
The trial is being held in London at Southwark Crown Court. The alleged incidents took place in London and Gloucestershire. From 2004 to 2015, Spacey served as the artistic director for London’s Old Vic Theater.
If Spacey is found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for one of the charges.
Spacey labeled as a “sexual bully” by prosecution
Prosecutor Christina Agnew laid out the four complainants’ testimonies to the jury, calling Spacey a “sexual bully.” One man accused Spacey of “grabbing [the complainant’s] penis with such force it was painful.”
Another man who allegedly awoke to Spacey performing a sex act said he was drugged and described the actor as “atrocious, despicable, and disgusting.”
Spacey’s lawyer said, “You never said ‘no'” to Spacey’s advances during cross-examination, and the man replied, “You can’t when you are asleep.”
One of Spacey’s alleged victims said the actor assaulted him more than 10 times, including putting his hand on his penis five or six times. The man said once Spacey “grabbed me so hard I nearly came off the road.” Another complainant said Spacey grabbed him “like a cobra.”
Spacey takes the witness stand
Spacey took the witness stand on July 12 and defended himself for two days. He said he had a “somewhat intimate” relationship with one of the complainants and that the sex act accusation made “no logical sense,” believing the act to be completely consensual.
He became emotional at the end of his testimony last week, depicting how his career came to an end in 2017 after actor Anthony Rapp publicly accused him of sexual misconduct. A New York court ruled in Spacey’s favor in 2022, but the damage to his reputation was already done.
“My world exploded,” Spacey told the court. “There was a rush to judgment and before the first question was asked or answered, I lost my job, I lost my reputation, I lost everything in a matter of days.”
Spacey has faced other legal troubles related to alleged sexual misconduct in the U.S., as well. In 2018, authorities in Massachusetts charged the actor with indecent assault and battery after allegedly groping an 18-year-old man in Nantucket. The case was later dropped.
Star witnesses defend Spacey
Defense witnesses included Elton John and Jack Lemmon’s son, Chris. Chris Lemmon said Spacey was like family to him, calling him “positive, supportive, and respectful.”
David Furnish, John’s husband, also testified in the trial. A man accused Spacey of attacking him as they drove to a party in 2005, calling him a “slippery, snaky, difficult person.” However, Furnish confirmed that Spacey had attended one gala hosted by John and Furnish in 2001, which aided the defense in their case. John also told the jury that Spacey spent the night at their home, corroborating an account that Spacey had given previously.
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The defense showed work schedules and documents that showed Spacey was filming outside the U.K. during the alleged 2005 car incident, as well.
The jury entered deliberations on Monday and adjourned after two and a half hours without reaching a verdict. They are set to reconvene Tuesday morning.
