In this May 24, 2017 file photo, Kevin Spacey participates in the speaker series in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
BOSTON (AP) --
Lawyers for Kevin Spacey are asking a judge to allow the actor to skip his arraignment on sexual assault charges in a Massachusetts courthouse next month.
The Boston Globe reports that Spacey's attorneys have filed a motion asking to excuse his presence at a Jan. 7 hearing in Nantucket District Court. The reason wasn't disclosed.
Prosecutors asked the judge to deny the motion. The judge did not immediately rule.
Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Michael Giardino wrote that Spacey's appearance is required under state rules for criminal case procedure.
The 59-year-old Oscar winner is charged with felony indecent assault and battery.
Prosecutors say he groped an 18-year-old man in a Nantucket restaurant in 2016.
Spacey's attorneys have not spoken publicly about the case but in a court hearing questioned the evidence.
Indian film directors Shyam Benegal, right, is seen during a discussion on Indian Cinema in Hyderabad, India, Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A, File)
Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after suffering from chronic kidney disease. He was 90.
His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He was also credited with a new genre of filmmaking.
Benegal passed away on Monday at Mumbai's Wockhardt Hospital, and his cremation will take place on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing his daughter Piya.
"Benegal had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That's the reason for his death," Piya said.
Many paid tribute to the legendary filmmaker on social media platform X.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote that Benegal told stories without pretense. "They were raw and real, about the struggles of ordinary people. His films had craft and conviction."
"Deeply saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema. His works will continue to be admired by people from different walks of life," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
He was a mentor to top Indian actors, including Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Om Puri who made their mark in Bollywood's popular cinema as well.
"I have lost my foster father, a man to whom I owe more than I can say," posted Naseeruddin Shah.
"Shyam Benegal was not just a legend; he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations," said actor Manoj Bajpayee.
Benegal came into the limelight in the 1970s, with a series of films that challenged mainstream Bollywood. His films Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977)... Read More
