Kevin Spacey Found Not Liable for Battery in Connection to Anthony Rapp Sexual Assault Allegations
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Kevin Spacey was found not liable for battery in connection to Anthony Rapp’s sexual assault claims.
On Thursday CNN reported that a New York jury determined the House of Cards actor, 63, was not responsible for battery related to Rapp’s allegations that Spacey made a sexual advance on him when he was 14 years old.
The jury of six men and six women deliberated for more than an hour before concluding there was insufficient evidence to prove Spacey inappropriately touched Rapp, according to NBC News.
Spacey’s attorneys quietly celebrated the victory as the verdict was read by putting their hands on the actor’s back, per CNN.
Judge Lewis Kaplan then dismissed the case. As Rapp’s lawyers left the downtown Manhattan courthouse, NBC News reported that they appeared to be disappointed by findings.
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Rapp, 50, accused Spacey of sexual misconduct in an October 2017 BuzzFeed report, which was published 31 years after the alleged incident. The Broadway actor was seeking $40 million in compensatory and punitive damages for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, per Reuters.
Though Spacey denied the allegations (and simultaneously came out as gay), his career suffered thereafter. He was fired from House of Cards and replaced in All the Money in the World, and his final film — Billionaire Boys Club — grossed only $126 across 10 theaters on its opening day.
During the recent trial, both Rapp and Spacey took the stand to defend their sides.
Rapp testified that he went to Spacey’s home for a party and said once the pair was alone, Spacey allegedly “forced himself” on him “by pinning him down on a bed,” according to the Associated Press. However, during the cross-examination, the Rent actor clarified that Spacey never attempted to touch his genitals, remove his clothing or make any references to sex. He also denied having any sort of crush or obsession with Spacey.
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Spacey later took the stand, fielding questions from his own attorney Jay Barron. The actor became emotional at times, as he addressed his childhood and sexuality, and insisted that the allegations from Rapp were “not true” and he was “shocked” by the accusations, per Reuters.
On Monday, Spacey’s legal team claimed a small victory when U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan dismissed one of Rapp’s claims. The judge got rid of the claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress after Rapp’s lawyers finished their presentation of evidence, the Associated Press reported.
A lawyer for Spacey argued for dismissal of the case, stating that Rapp’s legal team had failed to prove his allegations. Judge Kaplan ultimately decided that parts of the claim echo Rapp’s accusations that he was a victim of assault and battery and as such could not go forward, according to the Associated Press.
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During his closing argument on Thursday, Rapp’s attorney Richard Steigman claimed Spacey’s testimony was “rehearsed” and didn’t match up with his initial 2017 apology to Rapp after he came forward with the allegations.
“Don’t listen to what I said in real time. I’m defending a lawsuit now. Listen to me now. I’ve got it straightened out,” Steigman said, mocking Spacey’s testimony, per CNN. “When you’re rehearsed, and a world-class actor and you’re following the script and following the testimony of someone else, you can take that stand and be perfectly polished. When you’re merely coming to court coming forward and telling the truth of your experience, especially one like this that’s a little bit complicated.”
Meanwhile, Spacey’s attorney Jennifer Keller claimed in her closing argument that Rapp “hitched his wagon” to the #MeToo movement and made false and damaging claims about her client.
“This isn’t a team sport where you’re either on the #MeToo side, or you’re on the other side,” Keller said, per CNN. “This is a very different place. Our system requires evidence, proof, objective support for accusations provided to an impartial jury. However polarized as society may be today, it really should not have a place here.”
“We’re here because Mr. Rapp has falsely alleged abuse that never occurred at a party that was never held in a room that did not exist,” she added. “For Mr. Spacey this is not about the money. For Mr. Spacey this is about the truth that day and he was falsely accused.”
RELATED VIDEO: Kevin Spacey Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ to Sexual Assault Charges in London Court
In the wake of the Rapp allegations, Spacey became subject to several other sexual misconduct cases, including a 2018 lawsuit involving the alleged rape of a young man.
In May, Spacey was charged with sexually assaulting three men in the U.K. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in July. He also pleaded not guilty to one charge of making a person engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
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Spacey’s U.K. trial is set to begin on June 6, 2023.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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