Music icon Elton John provided virtual testimony on Monday, July 17, 2023, in Kevin Spacey's defense during the actor's ongoing sexual assault trial. John's testimony centered around Spacey's attendance at his annual White Tie & Tiara Ball. The musician corroborated Spacey's claim that the actor only attended the event in 2001, a point of contention due to an alleged victim's assertion that Spacey assaulted him while en route to the ball in either 2004 or 2005.

Elton John's husband, David Furnish, also offered testimony, supporting John's recollection. Furnish stated that he had examined photographs from the gala spanning 2001 to 2005 and Spacey appeared only in pictures from 2001. He emphasized that all guests were photographed each year. John described Spacey arriving by private jet in 2001, with Furnish adding that the actor's presence generated considerable excitement due to his Oscar-winning status.

Spacey's defense hinges on contesting the timelines and nature of the alleged incidents. The accuser who linked the alleged assault to John's ball conceded the possibility of a mistaken date but maintained his account of Spacey's aggressive behavior in the car. Spacey, in his own testimony, has denied the accusations of violent groping, characterizing his interactions with some of the accusers as consensual and intimate, while dismissing others as fabrications. He admitted to a single instance of a “clumsy pass” after an evening of heavy drinking.

The trial continues as both sides present their cases. Spacey faces charges including sexual assault, indecent assault, and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. These allegations, which surfaced after actor Anthony Rapp's accusations in 2017, led to Spacey's removal from the Netflix series "House of Cards." Spacey has since returned to acting with roles in several films.