Advertisement

Kevin Spacey appears in London court for start of sexual assault trial

American actor Kevin Spacey appeared in a London Court on Wednesday for the start of his trial for sexual assault charges. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI
1 of 4 | American actor Kevin Spacey appeared in a London Court on Wednesday for the start of his trial for sexual assault charges. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo

June 28 (UPI) -- Testimony in Kevin Spacey's sexual assault trial in London will begin Friday after a jury was selected Wednesday to hear the case.

The jury of nine men and three women will determine the fate of the two-time Oscar winner as he faces 12 charges. Two alternate jurors also were picked at the Southwark Crown Court.

Advertisement

The charges include seven counts of sexual assault, three of indecent assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

Spacey, 63, could spend the rest of his life in prison if the jury finds him guilty of the charges. He has denied all the allegations. The trial is expected to last four weeks.

"Many of you know his name or have seen his films," Judge Mark Wall told the jurors after they were selected. "That doesn't disqualify you from sitting on this jury."

Spacey's allegations come from three accused victims who are now in their 30s and 40s from 2001 to 2013 and a fourth man between 2001 and 2005.

Advertisement

A California native, Spacey served as artistic director of the Old Vic Theater in London from 2004 and 2015.

Spacey entered the courtroom Wednesday morning wearing a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and pink tie, responding to his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler.

Spacey has been dogged by numerous public controversies and multiple sexual misconduct investigations in the United States dating as far back as the mid-1980s. After a scandal emerged in 2012, Spacey's popular streaming show House of Cards was forced to shut down production during its sixth and final season.

Latest Headlines