Kevin Spacey: Jury finds that actor did not molest Anthony Rapp

NEW YORK — A jury on Thursday found that Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey did not molest Anthony Rapp, who accused him of sexual misconduct when he was 14 years old.

>> Read more trending news

In 2017, Rapp, 51, had accused Spacey, 63, of sexual misconduct toward him in 1986, when Rapp was a teen and Spacey was 26. Rapp first made the claims in a 2017 BuzzFeed article, Variety reported, and sued the actor for $40 million.

The jury reached the verdict in a Manhattan federal court after deliberating for 80 minutes, Variety reported. Jurors considered whether to believe Rapp’s claims that he was psychologically damaged after Spacey made a sexual advance on him in 1986, according to The Associated Press.

Deliberations began Thursday afternoon after one of Rapp’s lawyers, Richard Steigman, asked jurors to make Spacey pay for attempting to make a sexual advance. He accused Spacey of lying under oath while on the witness stand.

Jennifer Keller, a lawyer for Spacey, told jurors that Rapp fabricated the encounter, adding that they should reject his claims.

The two met while appearing on Broadway in separate productions, Variety reported. Rapp was part of the cast of “Precious Sons,” while Spacey had a role in the revival of “Long Days Journey Into Night.”

According to the AP, Rapp kept quiet about what happened for three decades. The lawsuit alleges that Spacey was intoxicated and took him in his arms, laid him on a bed and climbed on top of him.

Spacey denied the allegations and claimed that Rapp was not at the party. According to the AP, his legal team argues that if what Rapp described had happened, it wouldn’t constitute a sexual advance.

The accusations brought Spacey’s career to a halt.

Rapp is best known for his role in “Star Trek: Discovery,” CNN reported. Spacey starred as Frank Underwood in the Netflix hit series “House of Cards” until sexual assault allegations against the actor surfaced. Netflix fired Spacey in November 2017.

In a statement, Rapp said he was “deeply grateful” that he had a chance to tell his story.

“Bringing this lawsuit was always about shining a light, as part of the large movement to stand up against all forms of sexual violence,” he wrote.

In 2019, Spacey appeared in a Massachusetts court on a charge of indecent assault and battery. He was accused of groping an 18-year-old busser at the Nantucket bar on July 7, 2016. According to the New York Times, prosecutors dropped the case when his accuser refused to testify.

That same year, he was questioned by British police about claims by several men that he had assaulted them.

©2022 Cox Media Group