AILSA CHANG, HOST:
British movie star and comedian Russell Brand has been convicted of rape and sexual assault. NPR's Chloe Veltman joins us now to talk about this case. And a warning - we're about to discuss details of the attacks that Brand was convicted of. Hi, Chloe.
CHLOE VELTMAN, BYLINE: Hello, Ailsa.
CHANG: OK, so Russell Brand, he was this huge name, at least in the early 2000s. Can you just remind everyone what made him so prominent back then?
VELTMAN: Well, you might be able to picture Brand. You have this very specific look - this wild mane of heavy metal hair and skinny jeans. Yeah.
CHANG: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
VELTMAN: And he was best known to American audiences for these two movies - "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" from 2008. That was his breakout Hollywood role, and he played this flamboyant rock star. And then there was this spin-off, "Get Him To The Greek," from 2010. Then his podcasting presence took off during COVID-19, during the pandemic. He has millions of subscribers on his YouTube channel and on X. And he's known for discussing things like his Christian faith, vaccine skepticism, his populist politics. But in 2023, a joint investigation came out in the British media with allegations of misconduct, and this prompted a police investigation.
CHANG: Right. And today, we learn that a jury has convicted him. What specifically was he found guilty of?
VELTMAN: Brand was in court in London on charges related to alleged attacks involving six different women over a 10-year span, from 1999 to 2009. They took place in various locations, including at a radio station and in Brand's home. And after a four-week trial, a jury unanimously found Brand guilty today of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Those involved four different women. However, Ailsa, he was not found guilty on two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Senior crown prosecutor David Roberts spoke at a press briefing outside the courthouse earlier today.
(SOUNDBITE OF PRESS CONFERENCE)
DAVID ROBERTS: The evidence showed Brand to be a calculated sexual predator using his growing fame and power to create situations in which he could pursue women sexually regardless of what they wanted.
VELTMAN: Roberts thanked the women for reporting Brand to the police and he praised their courage.
CHANG: OK. So one conviction of rape and convictions on multiple counts of sexual assault. What - I'm sorry to ask, Chloe, but what do these women say happened to them exactly?
VELTMAN: Well, first, I'll just say, Ailsa, under British law, people who come forward with claims of sexual assault are granted lifelong anonymity. NPR also does not name victims of sex crimes unless they want to be named. So we're not going to be using any names here.
CHANG: OK.
VELTMAN: So the rape conviction stems from a 2009 incident in which a woman said she had gone to Brand's home expecting to have sex with him, but she testified that he forced her into a sex act she was not comfortable with. She said she was so shocked she could not breathe and repeatedly asked him to stop. Then there's the sexual assault counts. There are three of those, and they include, for example, one woman who said Brand pinned her against a wall at a radio station, and he aggressively groped her. That was in 2005.
CHANG: And what has Brand had to say about all these allegations?
VELTMAN: He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. He has, however, admitted to going through a period of sexual promiscuity, but he denied ever forcing himself on anyone. He said this about his habits on his YouTube channel.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RUSSELL BRAND: The relationships I had were absolutely always consensual.
VELTMAN: According to a statement issued today by the Metropolitan Police, they provided Brand with detailed accounts of the allegations over the course of several interviews with him, and he repeatedly claimed he did not recognize the women involved. Reporters on the scene in London today said Brand remained quiet and uncommunicative in the courtroom when the judge shared the verdict. His legal and press teams have not yet responded to NPR's requests for comment.
CHANG: OK, and what happens next to Russell Brand?
VELTMAN: Brand is in custody and will be sentenced on Monday in the same London court. The judge denied him bail. He could face significant time behind bars. The maximum sentence for rape in the U.K. is life, but generally, the sentences run 4 to 19 years. Brand's lawyers will have the opportunity to appeal. But, Ailsa, this story is not over. Police are asking people with additional allegations against Brand to come forward.
CHANG: That is NPR's Chloe Veltman. Thank you, Chloe.
VELTMAN: You bet, Ailsa.
(SOUNDBITE OF TIWA SAVAGE SONG, "LOST TIME") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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