LONDON — Kevin Spacey is “sexual bully” who “delights in making other individuals experience powerless and unpleasant,” a British prosecutor explained to a London courtroom Friday as the disgraced actor’s demo on intercourse offence rates formally obtained underway.
Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen allegations of sexual offenses alleged to have been dedicated from four adult men among the many years of 2001 and 2013.
He has been charged with indecent and sexual assaults and an offence of triggering a man or woman to engage in penetrative sexual action without consent, which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
In her opening statement at London’s Southwark Crown Courtroom, Prosecutor Christine Agnew informed the jury that Spacey was an extremely popular and award-successful actor, Reuters documented.
“He is also, the prosecution allege, a guy who sexually assaults other males,” she explained, in accordance to the information company. “A guy who does not regard individual boundaries or space, a person who it would look delights in generating other folks come to feel powerless and awkward — a sexual bully. His preferred strategy of assault is it seems to get aggressively other adult males in the crotch.”
Addressing the jury right, she explained that it “was only right” that they “might really feel a very little star-struck or overwhelmed,” but she urged them to “keep on your own grounded and legitimate to the oath that you have taken.”
The actor, carrying a gray go well with, gold-colored tie and eyeglasses, watched from the dock, in accordance to Reuters.
Spacey, who won Oscars for most effective actor in “American Beauty” in 1999, 4 several years just after he received most effective supporting actor for his part in “The Normal Suspects,” pleaded not guilty last July to five of the prices in opposition to him, four of sexual assault and a single of producing a man or woman to have interaction in sexual exercise without consent.
In January he pleaded not guilty to 7 much more sex offense costs, denying a quantity of alleged sexual assaults versus a single person from 2001 to 2004.
Spacey, who is recognized in court by his comprehensive identify, Kevin Spacey Fowler, also attended court on Wednesday, in which the decide, Mr. Justice Mark Wall, informed the 14 jurors that they have to not permit media protection or the defendant’s fame influence their feelings.
“Many of you know his identify or have found his films. That doesn’t disqualify you from sitting down on this jury,” he said.
Legal trials in England typically use 12 jurors, but two far more were being chosen in situation somebody realizes they know an alleged target or someone else linked with the scenario.
The trial proceeds and is anticipated to past just more than 4 weeks.
