Elton John & David Furnish Called As Defense Witnesses In Kevin Spacey Trial

UPDATED 03:32 a.m. PT: Elton John and David Furnish have been called as witnesses for the defense in the Kevin Spacey trial, moving the American Beauty star to tears.

Spacey broke down in court as he listened to 10 character references from family and friends from inside the theater and film industry on Monday afternoon.

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John and Furnish appeared via video link from Monaco in the London trial, which is into its third week.

Spacey is alleged to have made a man “almost come off the road” after an alleged “painful” crotch grab as he drove the actor to a lavish showbiz party hosted by John and Furnish. Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC asked the pair about when the actor had attended the fundraising event at their home in Windsor.

Spacey previously told jurors how he stored “the most expensive” Mini Cooper “ever” in John’s garage. John said the actor attended the event in the early 2000s and stayed the night but said he could not remember him visiting the property after that. Agnew asked the singer if he had a recollection of Spacey at the event and John said: “Yes, because he arrived in white tie.”

Agnew added: “Do you remember that at that ball he bought a Mini?” After John confirmed his recollection, she added: “And do you remember that that Mini was kept at your home for quite some time?” The Rocket Man star added: “That I don’t remember but it’s possible because it was his car and he was going somewhere else. I have no recollection of it.”

Asked if Spacey visited their home again after the ball, John said: “At the night that he attended the ball, he stayed over night at our house.” Pressed again on whether he had returned after the event, he added: “I can’t remember him coming after that, no.”

The singer said he did not remember the arrangements for the Mini being moved from his house. Spacey, wearing grey suit, light blue shirt and a dark blue tie with white dots on it, watched from the dock during John’s evidence.

John and Furnish are the first high-profile witnesses to be called in Spacey’s defense. John most recently played a critically-acclaimed set at Glastonbury while Furnish is a filmmaker and advertising exec who married the Rocketman singer in 2005.

Spacey’s defense started last week and the Academy Award-winner took to the stand for two days, during which he labeled the prosecution’s case “weak” and variously accused the four complainants of lying and over-exaggerating their claims, stating that one complainant did this for “money, money and then money.”

During the prior week, Spacey was accused by complainants of drugging one of them before performing a sex act on them, and grabbing a different person’s crotch “like a cobra.”

In January, Spacey pleaded not guilty to three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. The two-time Academy Award winner also previously denied four further charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

He was granted unconditional bail before the trial began. The trial continues.

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