Elton John, Furnish testify for Spacey about party year
LONDON — Kevin Spacey ‘s lawyers enlisted the help of an A-list star Monday in his sexual assault trial, calling on Elton John and his husband to cast doubt on one of the Oscar winner’s accusers at the end of the defense case.
John appeared briefly in the London court by video link from Monaco after his husband, David Furnish, testified that Spacey did not attend an annual gala ball at their Windsor home at the time that the accuser said he was attacked in a car.
John was the final witness for the defense and was followed by character testimonials that had Spacey in tears in the dock when they were read aloud by his lawyer.
Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts.
One alleged victim said he was driving Spacey to the White Tie & Tiara Ball in 2004 or 2005 when the actor grabbed his crotch so forcefully that he almost ran off the road.
Furnish supported Spacey’s own testimony that the only year he had attended the event was 2001. Furnish said he had reviewed photographs taken at the party from 2001 to 2005 and Spacey only appeared in images that one year. He said all guests were photographed each year.
“He was an Oscar-winning actor and there was a lot of buzz and excitement that he was at the ball,” said Furnish.
John said the actor spent the night at their house after the event.
Furnish said he was familiar with the accuser and described him as “charming,” the same term Spacey used.
Taylor Swift breaks album mark
LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift has more No. 1 albums than any woman in history.
“Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”, released this month, has officially debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming her 12th album to reach the top spot. Barbra Streisand held the record with 11 No. 1 albums.
Johnny Bench apologizes for antisemitic remark at Reds event
CINCINNATI — Hall of Famer Johnny Bench apologized for an antisemitic comment made Saturday at an event to honor former Cincinnati Reds general manager Gabe Paul, who was Jewish, and others.
Paul, who died in 1998, was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. Pete Rose recalled signing a deal worth “400 bucks a month” in his first negotiation with Gabe Paul.
Paul’s daughter, Jennie Paul, joked that it was “cheap.”
“He was Jewish,” Bench responded, drawing laughs from the audience.
“I recognize my comment was insensitive. I apologized to Jennie for taking away from her father the full attention he deserves,” Bench said in a statement.
Jennie Paul told reporters she didn’t hear Bench’s comment.