12 Jurors to Decide Russell Brand's Fate
The jury at Southwark Crown Court must reach a unanimous verdict on rape and assault charges after three weeks of testimony.
By Aiko Petrov ·
A jury in London began weighing its decision on Tuesday in the trial of actor and comedian Russell Brand. The group is deciding whether Brand is guilty of rape and sexual assault based on evidence presented over the past three weeks.
Judge Joel Bennathan instructed the jurors at Southwark Crown Court that they must agree on a single verdict. He told them, “I can only accept a verdict that is the verdict of all 12 of you.” After roughly an hour of discussion, the judge sent the jurors home for the night with orders to keep the case private.
Brand, 51, has attended each court session while on bail, accompanied by his wife, Laura Gallacher. He faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted indecent assault. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Six women have accused Brand of misconduct between 1999 and 2009. The alleged incidents occurred in various locations, including a hotel room, MTV offices, a bar toilet, a radio station, a recording studio, and his home. Prosecutors described Brand as a sexual predator during this decade, which marked his rise from a stand-up comedian to a major celebrity in the United Kingdom.
Brand testified that he was obsessed with sex when younger but insisted every encounter was consensual. His defense team argued that the accusations were weakened because the women did not report them to police for years. They pointed to a 2023 documentary featuring anonymous allegations against Brand, which lawyer Ian Winter said corrupted the well of justice.
In closing arguments on Monday, Winter urged the jury to distinguish between Brand's personal conduct and criminal behavior. He stated, “It is not criminal to treat women unkindly before, during or after sex.” Winter added that while Brand had an immense amount of sex, none of it was unlawful, and that being disrespectful or rude is not a crime.
Brand became famous in the early 2000s through television hosting and his BBC radio show. He later starred in films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek. In recent years, he has moved to Florida and built an online audience with content focusing on wellness, conspiracy theories, and his religious beliefs.
