Prosecutor: Brand’s accusers had nothing to gain — The Guardian
In the United Kingdom, at Southwark Crown Court in London, prosecutor Riel Karmi-Jones said that the six women testifying in the case of comedian Russell Brand were not seeking fame or personal gain by going to the police. According to her, they did not know one another, did not take part in a documentary film and did not seek compensation.
As The Guardian reports, during the prosecution’s closing speech, Karmi-Jones told jurors that the women found the courage to speak about what they had experienced when they realized they were not alone. The prosecutor said their testimony included specific details and that, in some cases, memories of the events had haunted the women for years.
The prosecution’s position
The prosecutor rejected suggestions that the 2023 Dispatches documentary about Brand’s alleged misconduct could have influenced the women and prompted them to fabricate or reinterpret their stories. According to her, the complainants described a similar pattern of behavior: before the alleged assaults, Brand’s conduct, it was claimed in court, changed from friendly to aggressive and frightening.
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Karmi-Jones also said that after the alleged assaults, Brand asked some of the women to provide phone numbers or email addresses. In the prosecution’s view, he used this as an element of gaslighting. These claims are the prosecution’s position, which the jurors must assess.
What charges have been brought
The 51-year-old Brand is charged with seven offences involving six women in incidents spanning ten years from 1999. These include three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. A charge of indecent assault was previously changed to attempted indecent assault.
The comedian denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty to every count. The judge has already given the jurors legal directions, noting that they must consider the conflicting arguments of the sides. Brand’s defence lawyer, Ian Winter, is due to deliver his closing speech on Monday.
