Elton John testifies for the defense in Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault trial

A surprising witness took the stand for the defense in Kevin Spacey‘s ongoing sexual assault trial in the U.K.: Elton John.

Elton and his husband David Furnish both testified remotely via video link from Monaco to address Spacey’s attendance at one of Elton’s AIDS Foundation charity events, the White Tie and Tiara Ball. The Ball was held at the couple’s home in Windsor, England for a period of about 15 years.

This is notable because one of Spacey’s alleged victims has accused the actor of aggressively “grabbing” him while he drove with him to the ball in 2004 or 2005.  Spacey has testified that the only year he attended the event was 2001.

Elton confirmed that Spacey had only attended the ball once, in 2001.  As Variety reports, Elton said he remembered the actor being there because “he arrived in white tie. He came on a private jet and he came straight to the ball.”

Elton also recalled that Spacey had spent the night in the couple’s house after the event, but that he never visited them there again.

David Furnish further testified that he’d checked the archives of all the photographs of the event — which were taken each year by OK! magazine — and that the only year Spacey attended was 2001. 

Asked if it were possible that Spacey had attended and hadn’t been photographed, Variety reports that Furnish said it “never happened,” explaining that all the stars understood that they would be photographed to promote the charity. 

He noted that if “a star of Kevin Spacey’s magnitude” had refused to be photographed, it would have been an “impossible situation.”

Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

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