Kevin Spacey Not Liable Says Jury In Civil Case Brought By Anthony Rapp
Actor Kevin Spacey has been accused by multiple claimants of sexual misconduct. One of the most high profile cases being that filed by fellow actor, Anthony Rapp (Star Trek), who has also worked on Broadway.
A New York City civil court jury handed down a verdict of not liable to these claims on Thursday, October 20, reports ABC News.
THE METEORIC RISE, AND THE SUBSEQUENT FALL
The accusations against Spacey gripped the news cycle when they broke. Spacey, 63, was at the peak of his acting career with two Academy Awards under his belt and a wildly popular Netflix series, House Of Cards, beginning its fifth season.
Star Trek: Discovery star Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey had molested him when he was 14-years-old when they were both relatively unknown Broadway actors. Since then, dozens of other actors have brought their stories to the public alleging similar incidents with Spacey, reports The Cut.
Among the allegations being made, Rapp’s was the first and the most public. Spacey had initially posted an apology on social media in 2017 after the accusation was made saying, “If I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.” This apology has since been revoked by Spacey during his civil trial.
The jury deliberated for 80-minutes before returning with a not liable verdict. During the trial, arguments by Kevin Spacey’s lawyer Jennifer Keller suggested Rapp was jealous of Spacey’s success. “So, here we are today and Mr Rapp is getting more attention from this trial than he has in his entire acting life,” says Ms Keller.
Though found not liable in the Rapp case, Spacey will now face accusations in the UK where a trial will be held in the criminal court. His professional reputation hangs precariously as the court of public opinion appears to be largely against the actor.
