Kevin Spacey pleads not guilty in Massachusetts court over alleged sexual assault of teenager

More than 30 men have claimed they were victims of unwanted sexual advances by Kevin Spacey

Kevin Spacey pleads not guilty to groping charge

Actor Kevin Spacey appeared at a Massachusetts court over a criminal charge that he sexually assaulted an 18-year-old male at a bar in Nantucket.

The Nantucket allegations were first raised by former Boston television journalist Heather Unruh, who told reporters the former House of Cards star groped her teenage son on July 7, 2016, at a restaurant and bar where he worked.

Spacey pleaded not guilty.

He is charged with indecent assault and battery, which is a felony. If convicted, the he faces a maximum of five years in prison and would be required to register as a sex offender.

Spacey—wearing a paisley shirt, blue tie and a grey suit—entered the small standing-room only courtroom crowded with locals and journalists. He did not speak throughout the entirety of the hearing. Although Spacey said earlier that he would plead not guilty, he was not asked to enter a not guilty plea.

Under Massachusetts law does not require the defendant to state their not guilty plea.

In the arraignment hearing, Judge Thomas S Barrett granted Spacey’s attorney request to preserve cloud and cellphone information for six months after the date of the alleged crime for evidence. The evidence in question is a one-second Snapchat video the alleged victim sent to his girlfriend. The video footage reportedly shows a hand grabbing a clothed area.

The alleged victim is being represented by Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston-based lawyer with a prolific history of prosecuting predatory priests in the diocese.

The House of Cards actor tried to avoid appearing in court for his arraignment hearing, arguing that his “presence will amplify the negative publicity already generated in connection with this case,” in a motion filed by his legal team.

But on Monday, Judge Thomas S Barrett said Space will not be required to appear in physical form for his preliminary hearing. Instead, he must be available to reach by phone. Prosecutors did not request bail for Spacy. He was told to not contact the alleged victim or any witnesses.

His next court date is March 4.

 

Follow events from the court appearance as they happened

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[7 January 2019 13:52 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Kevin Spacey's court appearance today in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

[7 January 2019 13:55 · Lucy Anna Gray]

The former House of Cards star is set to appear in court on accusations that he groped an 18-year-old man at a Nantucket bar in 2016. The young man was working at Club Car as a bus boy. 

Kevin Spacey has said he will plead not guilty to the charge. 

[7 January 2019 13:59 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Numerous people have come forward accusing Kevin Spacey of assault. 

His first accuser, actor Anthony Rapp, claims Spacey climbed on top of him on a bed when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. 

Kevin Spacey said he did not remember such an encounter but apologised if the allegations were true. 

[7 January 2019 14:03 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Today's appearance in Massachusetts is the first criminal case brought against the 59-year-old Oscar-winner since other allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him in 2017.

[7 January 2019 14:09 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Near the end of 2018, Kevin Spacey released a bizarre video commenting on the sexual misconduct allegations made against him. In the video, Spacey appears as his character in House of Cards, Frank Underwood.

You can watch the video and read more about how people reacted to it here:

[7 January 2019 14:15 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Here's columnist Janet Street Porter with more on that baffling video:

[7 January 2019 14:21 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Today's court appearance comes more than a year after former Boston TV anchor Heather Unruh accused Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting her son.

At the time her son was 18 and working as a busboy in a bar and restaurant called the Club Car in Nantucket. 

If convicted, Spacey faces up to five years in prison. 

[7 January 2019 14:35 · Sarah Harvard]

Kevin Spacey is expected to arrive at Nantucket District court for his arraignment on sexual chargers. A pool of reporters are setting up outside the court house. 

[7 January 2019 14:50 · Sarah Harvard]

The court paperwork show Kevin Spacey's legal name—Kevin Spacey Fowler. "Spacey" is both his middle name and stage last name.

[7 January 2019 15:05 · Sarah Harvard]

The 59-year-old actor said he plans on pleading not guilty in his court appearance on Monday.

If Mr Spacey is convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.