Kevin Spacey appeared Wednesday in a London criminal court, where a jury was seated to consider evidence against the “House of Cards” actor facing 12 counts of sexual assault.
Spacey has pleaded not guilty to the 12 U.K. charges, which include a series of alleged sexual assaults against one man that prosecutors say happened in the early 2000s. Seven charges in Southwark Crown Court include causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, three for indecent assault and three others for sexual assault; those were combined with five previous charges brought by three different men.
Spacey, who has “strenuously” denied the charges, had previously appeared by video link to enter his not-guilty plea. On Wednesday, he appeared in person, wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt and pink tie, and sat in a glassed-off dock while a jury of 12 people was seated and sworn in. Opening statements were set to begin Friday.
Late last year, Spacey was found not liable for an assault alleged by fellow actor Anthony Rapp. The “Rent” actor had sued Spacey in a New York civil court for $40 million, saying an incident in 1986, when Rapp was a teen, left him with PTSD.
