Russell Brand Trial: Jury Begins Verdict Deliberations
Deadline • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The jury in Russell Brand's rape trial has begun deliberations after over three weeks of evidence, considering seven charges including three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault; Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
- Judge Mr Justice Bennathan instructed the jury to avoid discussing the case until they reconvene and emphasized that they are not pressured to reach a quick verdict, requiring unanimous decisions for conviction.
- The judge reviewed the evidence in detail following closing arguments and reminded the jury that the prosecution bears the burden of proof, with Brand entitled to the benefit of the doubt.
- Jurors were directed to disregard allegations from a 2023 Channel 4 documentary featuring anonymous complaints against Brand, as these claims were not tested in court and the defendant denied them robustly.
