Kevin Spacey makes surprise court appearance in 'groping' case
Actor seen walking into courthouse with lawyers
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Kevin Spacey made a surprise appearance on Monday at a Massachusetts courthouse, where a hearing was set in the case accusing him of allegedly groping an 18-year-old busboy in 2016.
The former House Of Cards actor was not required to attend Monday's pretrial hearing in Nantucket, but showed up wearing a grey suit and glasses. He was seen walking into the courthouse with his lawyers.
Spacey has pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault and battery. The actor has previously stayed away from the courthouse except for a brief hearing in January.
His accuser says that Spacey allegedly groped him in the crowded bar of the Club Car, where the teenager worked as a busboy.
On Friday, Spacey's lawyer Alan Jackson accused the man of allegedly deleting text messages that support Spacey's claims of innocence.
Mr Jackson wants the court to demand that prosecutors turn over a "complete and unaltered" forensic copy of the accuser's phone.
It is the only criminal case that has been brought against the two-time Oscar winner since his career fell apart amid a flurry of sexual misconduct allegations in 2017.
The case first came to light that year when former Boston TV anchor Heather Unruh said Spacey allegedly got her son drunk and assaulted him at the Club Car, a popular restaurant and bar on the resort island off Cape Cod.
Ms Unruh's son told police that he wanted to get a picture with Spacey and went over to talk to him after his shift ended at the Club Car, where he worked as a busboy.
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The man claimed Spacey bought him several drinks and tried to persuade him to come home with him before allegedly unzipping the man's trousers and indecently assaulting him.
The accuser told police that he tried to move Spacey's hands, but the groping continued, and he did not know what to do because he did not want to get in trouble for drinking.
The man said he fled when Spacey went to the bathroom.
Spacey's lawyers have called the allegations "patently false" and accused the man of lying in the hopes of making money in a civil case against Spacey.
Judge Thomas Barrett has ordered the Club Car to hand over any surveillance footage taken around the time of the alleged incident.
Additional reporting by agencies