As of: 10/20/2022 11:54 p.m
A colleague accused actor Spacey of sexually harassing him in 1986 – at that time Spacey was 26, his alleged victim 14. A jury did not believe this and acquitted Spacey. He does not have to pay the required millions in damages.
Actor Kevin Spacey has been acquitted of sexual harassment charges by a jury. In the civil trial in New York, fellow actor Anthony Rapp accused him of intimately touching him in 1986 when he was 14 and lying on him with his clothes on. Spacey was 26 at the time. Rapp demanded $40 million in damages. A criminal court had already rejected a criminal complaint against Rapp in 2020 because of the alleged incident.
Spacey had vehemently denied the allegations. He invited Rapp and his colleague John Barrowman to dinner after a Broadway performance and then brought them to his apartment, where he flirted with Barroman. On the other hand, he had no interest in Rapp. Spacey said, “Anthony Rapp acted like a kid and John Barrowman acted like a man.” His statement coincided with an affidavit by Barrowman. Rapp, on the other hand, had stated that Spacey only became abusive on another occasion days later.
Spacey regrets his apology
Rapp made his allegations against Spacey public in an interview at the end of October 2017, shortly after the start of the #MeToo movement. Spacey apologized for “extremely inappropriate behavior while intoxicated”. But he couldn’t remember the incident. At the trial, Spacey said he regretted apologizing on the advice of his agents. “I learned a lesson,” he said. “Never apologize for something you didn’t do.”
Long-time celebrated Hollywood star Spacey’s career ended abruptly after abuse allegations were made against him from 2017. He is accused of four assaults against three men in the UK between 2005 and 2013. In July, Spacey pleaded not guilty in a London court. Other proceedings have been discontinued.