Kevin Spacey fought back tears and dabbed his eyes with a tissue Thursday as he told jurors in a London court how sexual misconduct allegations six years ago had destroyed his career.
B次元官网网址淢y world exploded,B次元官网网址� Spacey said at his sexual assault trial. B次元官网网址淭here 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.B次元官网网址�
The emotional testimony came toward the end of his nearly three hours in the witness box, in what could be the most consequential speaking part of his life. He denied sexually assaulting three men and chalked up crotch-grabbing allegations by a fourth as having been a B次元官网网址渃lumsy pass.B次元官网网址�
The allegations that sent SpaceyB次元官网网址檚 stellar film and stage career into a spiral came in 2017 as the #metoo movement gained momentum in the U.S. and a fellow actor accused him of sexually inappropriate behavior three decades earlier.
B次元官网网址 of those accusations led others to come forward, including four men in England who said the two-time Oscar winner sexually assaulted them between 2001 and 2013.
Prosecutor Christine Agnew has called Spacey a B次元官网网址渟exual bullyB次元官网网址� who B次元官网网址渄elights in making others feel powerless and uncomfortable.B次元官网网址�
The four alleged victims, who didnB次元官网网址檛 know each other, independently described disturbing encounters that escalated from unwanted touching to aggressive fondling. One man who called Spacey a B次元官网网址渧ile sexual predatorB次元官网网址� said he passed out or fell asleep on the actorB次元官网网址檚 London sofa and woke up to find him performing oral sex.
Spacey spoke in a calm tone and earnest demeanor, raising his voice in contempt only briefly to address some of the allegations.
At times he was humorous, humble and self-deprecating as he breezed over a career in acting that began, he joked, when he emerged from his motherB次元官网网址檚 womb. He repeatedly dropped names of some of the stars in his universe, including high school classmate Val Kilmer and Judi Dench B次元官网网址� whom he said he taught to play ping-pong.
Spacey seemed more than content to reflect on happier times in his career but was repeatedly drawn back to the reason he was addressing a jury of nine men and three women at Southwark Crown Court.
He could face a prison term if convicted of charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Defense lawyer Patrick Gibbs went through the allegations chronologically with Spacey, dating to the early 2000s when he came to work at the Old Vic Theatre in London and later became its artistic director.
Spacey took a dramatic pause in his testimony as he recalled the B次元官网网址渋ntimateB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渟omewhat sexualB次元官网网址� friendship he shared with a man now accusing the actor of violently groping him. He said he was B次元官网网址渃rushedB次元官网网址� the man accused him of sexual assault.
B次元官网网址淚 never thought that (the man) I knew would B次元官网网址� 20 years later stab me in the back,B次元官网网址� Spacey said.
The accuser had testified that SpaceyB次元官网网址檚 fondling culminated when the man was driving and Spacey grabbed his crotch so violently he almost ran off the road. He told police he warned Spacey to never do it again and threatened to knock him out.
B次元官网网址淭hat never happened,B次元官网网址� Spacey testified. B次元官网网址淚 was not on a suicide mission in any of those years.B次元官网网址�
Spacey said the man was funny and charming, appearing wistful as he looked at a photo the man sent him from a mountainous trek he took to raise money for charity.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a big flirt,B次元官网网址� Spacey said, acknowledging he probably made the first moves. He said he touched the man but not in a B次元官网网址渧iolent, aggressive, painful way.B次元官网网址�
SpaceyB次元官网网址檚 description of gentle stroking was in direct contradiction to the testimony from the alleged victims. They said he caught them by surprise when he aggressively grabbed their privates through their clothing.
B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 like a caress,B次元官网网址� one man testified. B次元官网网址淚t was like a cobra coming out and getting hold.B次元官网网址�
Spacey called that manB次元官网网址檚 account B次元官网网址渕adnessB次元官网网址� and said it never happened. He also denied he made racially offensive remarks to the man during a rehearsal for a charity theater event.
Addressing the most serious charge in the case, Spacey raised his voice and denied the suggestion he drugged a man before assaulting him.
B次元官网网址淚 know the way I am with someone and I would never be behaving in the way he claimed B次元官网网址� it makes no logical sense,B次元官网网址� he said.
Spacey said he couldnB次元官网网址檛 recall the man when police confronted him. After repeatedly watching video of the manB次元官网网址檚 interview by a detective, he said he pieced together that they had a brief consensual sexual encounter in his apartment that ended when the man left in a hurry.
B次元官网网址淭he person that I had this intimate moment with was suddenly awkward and fumbling,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f he regretted it immediately, I donB次元官网网址檛 know. I canB次元官网网址檛 speak for him, but something was weird.B次元官网网址�
He said his phone records indicated they continued to text each other over several months.
Spacey said he primarily accepted the account of a fourth man who accused the actor of kissing his neck twice and grabbing his crotch during a night of heavy drinking.
The man testified that Spacey looked panicked when he pushed him away and said, B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 bat for that team.B次元官网网址�
Spacey said he didnB次元官网网址檛 recall making the B次元官网网址渃lumsy passB次元官网网址� but was glad the man said he ceased when the man said he wasnB次元官网网址檛 interested.
At least two of the men have also filed suit against Spacey.
Spacey said he successfully fought his accusers in U.S. courts but is in debt with legal bills.
Prosecutors in Massachusetts dropped charges against him when the alleged victim refused to testify. A jury in New York jury last fall cleared Spacey in a $40 million lawsuit by B次元官网网址淪tar Trek: DiscoveryB次元官网网址� actor Anthony Rapp on allegations dating to 1986.
Spacey said he fought that case the same way he has in London, but doggedly digging through old records, boxes of photos and any evidence that could disprove the claims.
Looking across the courtroom at his 12-person audience, Spacey noted that he had been swiftly cleared in the New York case by a unanimous B次元官网网址渏ury of my peers.B次元官网网址�
Spacey faces hours of cross-examination Friday and his lawyer will then present several witnesses on his behalf.
READ ALSO:
