Actor Kevin Spacey has appeared in court to face a charge of indecent assault and battery stemming from an allegation of groping in 2016. The two-time Oscar winner is expected to plead not guilty during the court hearing on the Massachusetts resort island community of Nantucket.
Claims of sexual assault have also been investigated by London and LA police. On Christmas Eve, Spacey, 59, posted a remarkable video contesting the allegations against him. In a video titled “Let Me Be Frank”, Spacey appeared in character as Frank Underwood from the Netflix series House of Cards, and said: “I’m certainly not going to pay the price for the thing I didn’t do.”
Wearing a suit and appearing composed, Spacey arrived at the packed courtroom on Monday after arriving on his private jet. He nodded in court when the judge told him he was not allowed to contact the victim.
His lawyer had earlier asked the judge to allow the hearing to happen without Spacey present, but that request was refused. The alleged victim is the son of former television news presenter Heather Unruh, who spoke publicly about the incident last year. She accused Mr Spacey of buying her then 18-year-old son alcohol – the drinking age in Massachusetts is 21 – and then groping him. The victim, who is also suing Spacey in civil court, will not be present during the criminal trial.
