Russell Brand appears on first day of his sex crimes trial as jury selected
20 jurors were chosen, and that number will later be cut to 14.
Jury selection has taken place for the trial of actor Russell Brand, who has been charged with rape and other sexual crimes.
On the first day of the trial, 20 jurors were chosen, and that number will later be cut to 14.
Brand, 51, was once one of Britain's most successful and popular exports. He is also the former husband of singer Katy Perry.
He now faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault relating to six women from 1999 to 2009.
Brand is defending the charges
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Russell Brand sex crimes trial
On Tuesday, Brand arrived at London’s Southwark Crown Court with his wife, Laura Gallacher.
Judge Joel Bennathan told jurors, “The defendant is clearly someone very well known. You absolutely must not carry out any research at all about this defendant Russell Brand.”
The judge also advised that the trial is expected to last about six weeks.
At the height of his success in the 2000s, Brand was a regular on British television, and worked as a radio presenter for the BBC.
He went to Hollywood to star in a number of films including Get Him to the Greek in 2010, becoming an international celebrity.
Brand's high profile is the reason the judge has issued the warning about jurors researching his background.
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