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Jury begins deliberating in Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault trial in London

Brand denies seven charges involving six women, and the judge told jurors they must reach a unanimous verdict.

4 news outlets reported this
Liberal1 outletjury deliberations begin after defense closing argumentsCenter1 outletjury deliberations begin after defense closing argumentsConservative2 outletsdoubts about the documentary and Brand's prison risk
Published 3 min read
Overview

Jurors began deliberating at Southwark Crown Court in London in the trial of Russell Brand, the actor and comedian, on charges of rape and sexual assault. The case has run through three weeks of evidence and argument. Judge Joel Bennathan told jurors they must be unanimous, saying he can accept only a verdict that all 12 of them share.

Brand has pleaded not guilty to seven charges: three of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. Six women accuse him of sexual misconduct between 1999 and 2009. Prosecutors argued that Brand was "a sexual predator" who attacked the women in places including a hotel room, the London offices of MTV, a radio station and his home.

Brand gave evidence. He said he had been fixated on sex when he was younger, but that every encounter was consensual. In his closing statement on Monday, his lawyer, Ian Winter, told jurors to keep Brand's treatment of women apart from whether he broke the law.

The defense also argued that the women went to police only years later, after a 2023 documentary carried anonymous allegations. Brand is free on bail.

Key figures
  • three weeks length of argument and evidence before deliberations — The Boston Globe
  • 12 jurors whose unanimous verdict the judge requires — The Boston Globe
  • Six women accuse Brand of sexual misconduct — The Boston Globe
  • seven serious charges faced by Brand, per Breitbart — Breitbart News
  • four to 19 years possible prison time for the rape charges, per Breitbart — Breitbart News

Three sides of the story

Liberal1 outlet

jury deliberations begin after defense closing arguments

The Boston Globe runs the Associated Press report under the headline "Jury begins deliberating at Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault trial." It opens with jurors starting to consider their verdicts after three weeks. It then gives Judge Joel Bennathan's instruction that he can accept only a verdict of all 12 jurors.

The report sets out the seven charges and the six women's accusations covering 1999 to 2009. It also gives the prosecution's description of Brand as "a sexual predator" and Brand's testimony that his encounters were consensual. Brand's lawyer, Ian Winter, is quoted saying the "well of justice had been corrupted and contaminated" by the 2023 documentary.

In his closing statement on Monday, Winter said it is not criminal to be rude or disrespectful. The report closes with Brand's career, his move to Florida and his online following.

Center1 outlet

jury deliberations begin after defense closing arguments

The Seattle Times carries the same Associated Press report, headlined "Jury begins deliberating at Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault trial." It leads with jurors beginning to consider verdicts at Southwark Crown Court. The report quotes Judge Joel Bennathan saying he can accept only a verdict of all 12.

It lists the charges against Brand, who has pleaded not guilty, and notes he has attended court daily with his wife, Laura Gallacher. Prosecutors' account of the alleged attacks sits beside Brand's own testimony that his encounters were consensual. Brand's lawyers argue that the women went to police years later and after the documentary, and lawyer Ian Winter is quoted telling jurors that "disgusting, distasteful, immoral" conduct is irrelevant to their task.

Brand's rise as a comedian and later online work close the report.

Conservative2 outlets

doubts about the documentary and Brand's prison risk

Breitbart's Nolte, in "Jury Deliberations Begin in Russell Brand Trial," says the jury will convene on Wednesday morning London time. He sets out the seven charges and writes that if Brand is found guilty, he is facing "real prison time," with the rape charges possibly meaning four to 19 years. Nolte quotes the Associated Press, which he calls "far-left," on the prosecution and defense cases.

He says the judge told jurors to ignore the 2023 documentary and quotes the judge saying its allegations "were never tested in any court." Nolte writes that he has no idea whether Brand is guilty. He calls media attempts to convict through a documentary "beyond obscene" and says it is suspicious that the allegations revived after Brand moved right politically.

The Washington Times reports under "Jury deliberation begins in Russell Brand's rape trial in London" that jurors began deliberations Tuesday.

Where outlets disagree
All sources: 4 articles from 4 outlets

Liberal (1)

Center (1)

Conservative (2)