London’s Southwark Crown Court has begun the trial of Oscar-winning US actor Kevin Spacey, who has been accused of a dozen historic sex offense charges against four men. The prosecutor, Christine Agnew, labeled Spacey an aggressive “sexual bully” who derives pleasure from assaulting men and provoking anger with his unwanted advances. Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, while his lawyer, Patrick Gibbs, dismissed the allegations as “damned lies.”
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During the opening statements, Agnew described Spacey as more than just a renowned actor but also a “man who sexually assaults other men” and “delights in making others feel powerless and uncomfortable.” She further asserted that Spacey’s preferred method of assault appeared to be forcefully grabbing other men in their crotch. Spacey, who is being tried under his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler, attended the proceedings wearing a grey suit, a gold-colored tie, and glasses.
The charges against Spacey include repeated incidents of indecent and sexual assaults. He also faces a more serious charge of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Gibbs, Spacey’s lawyer, assured the court that his client would provide a detailed account of the events and put an end to the rumors and conjecture surrounding the case.
Agnew outlined the allegations made by the four men, claiming that Spacey had repeatedly grabbed and groped them, forced their hand onto his own genitalia, and even performed oral sex on one of the victims while he was asleep. When one man confronted Spacey and demanded that he never touch him again, the actor reportedly responded by laughing and commenting that the anger turned him on.
The incidents in question occurred during Spacey’s time in London, where he worked at the Old Vic theatre for over a decade. In police interviews, Spacey stated that he had no recollection of some of his accusers and denied any inappropriate touching. However, he admitted that it was possible he had made a clumsy advance towards someone he could not recall.
Agnew cautioned the jury, suggesting that they might feel starstruck by Spacey’s celebrity status and reminding them to carefully consider the credibility of the accusers. She pointed out the potential motivations behind the allegations, including financial gain, as some of the accusers have sued Spacey in civil courts. The prosecution suggested that Spacey abused his power and influence, given his reputation and fame.
Gibbs, in his defense, acknowledged that there were two sides to the stories presented and urged the jury to examine what had actually transpired, whether the encounters were consensual, and the possible motivations of the accusers in making their complaints. He acknowledged that the jury would hear some truths, some half-truths, deliberate exaggerations, and what he referred to as “many damned lies.”
The trial will continue as the jury assesses the evidence and testimonies presented before reaching a verdict on the allegations against Kevin Spacey.
