This Thursday afternoon, the last stage of the trial was held. kevin spacey for sexual assault against the actor Anthony Rapp. The decision was made public after an hour-long deliberation. Kevi Spacey was found not guilty of sexually assaulting Rapp when he was just 14 years old.
It all started in 2017, Rapp launched the accusations through an article on BuzzFeed, and mentioned that in 1986, Spacey (then 26 years old) harassed him in an attempt to have sex with him. He also assured that, despite the time, he still considers that the most traumatic moment of his life.
Rapp’s psychologist assured in court that her patient had developed post-traumatic stress disorder due to the events following her statements. That “emotional anguish” was what led to sue the protagonist of House of Cards by $40 million dollars. However, Spacey’s defense assured that this was a lie, since Rapp did not have behaviors associated with the victims of said condition. He even made sure that he exhibits traits of narcissism.
Alexander Bardey, a forensic psychiatrist introduced by Kevin Spacey’s defense, had this to say about Anthony Rapp (via):
“He has done very well for himself. He has what I would call a perfectly normal life.”
After the jury’s verdict was announced, Rapp’s lawyer mentioned that they respected the decision made, however, he assured that “this does not change his truth.” For his part, Spacey received the news with tears in his eyes and an apparent expression of happiness.
Hours later, Rapp issued a brief statement via his Twitter account, which you can read below:
— Anthony Rapp SAG-AFTRA National & NY Board Member (@albinokid) October 20, 2022
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have my case heard before a jury, and I thank all members for their service. Bringing this lawsuit was always about shining a light, as part of the movement to protest against all forms of sexual violence. I am committed to continuing to advocate for efforts to ensure that we can live and work in a world free from any form of sexual violence. I sincerely hope that all survivors continue to tell their stories and fight for accountability.”
Jennifer Keller, an attorney for Spacey, gave the following statement:
“This was a highly intelligent and highly educated jury. I think 11 of the 12 graduated from college. Most have postgraduate degrees. They are very, very bright people, and they could see through all of this. Mr. Spacey is deeply appreciative of the jury system and this jury in particular.”
Despite this victory, Spacey still faces another trial in the coming months. It will take place next June in the UK. It must also pay millions of dollars to the producers of House of Cardswho were affected after modifying the series due to the actor’s departure.
