Kevin Spacey Found Not Liable in Anthony Rapp Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
Kevin Spacey was found not liable by the federal jury in Anthony Rapp‘s $40 million sexual abuse lawsuit against the actor. The verdict was announced on October 20 after the jury of five men, and six women deliberated for less than 90 minutes. Today’s closing arguments were given to just 11 jurors after one juror’s back injury excused them from appearing in the Manhattan courtroom.
Per Deadline, Spacey appeared to wipe tears away as the verdict was read before hugging his lawyers, who accused Rapp of narcissism in their defense of the disgraced House of Cards actor. Rapp just looked straight ahead as the verdict was announced. Outside of the court, Richard Steigman, Rapp’s lawyer, told the crowd, “The jury spoke. Anthony told his truth. We respect the jury’s verdict, but it doesn’t change his truth.”
Earlier this week, the Star Trek: Discovery star testified about his 1986 encounter with Spacey. Rapp was 14 at the time, and Spacey was 26. They were both relatively unknown actors working in New York theater. Rapp said he was at a party at Spacey’s apartment when Spacey picked him up “like a groom picks up a bride,” put him on the bed, and climbed on top of him to initiate sex. The young Rapp was able to wriggle free from the inebriated Spacey, but Rapp called it “the most traumatic single event of my life” in his testimony, adding that it had “lingering impacts” such as PTSD and depression, per NBC News.
Spacey has denied the allegations since they came out in 2017, but Rapp is not the only person to accuse the actor of sexual misconduct. Spacey faces trial in the U.K. in June for an alleged sexual assault. If found guilty, he could be liable for up to $31 million.
This week, Spacey’s lawyers argued that Rapp had “narcissistic tendencies” that prompted him to accuse the actor of misconduct. They argued he was jealous of Spacey’s Oscar and Tony wins and painted Rapp as a bitter, struggling actor. Rapp was in the original Broadway cast of Rent, one of Broadway’s most lauded musicals, and has had a long career on stage and screen.
— Anthony Rapp SAG-AFTRA National & NY Board Member (@albinokid) October 20, 2022
Rapp gave a statement about the verdict on Twitter, saying he was “deeply grateful for the opportunity to have my case heard before a jury, and I thank the members of the jury for their service.”
The statement continued: “Bringing this lawsuit was always about shining a light, as part of the larger movement to stand up against all forms of sexual violence. I pledge to keep on advocating for efforts to ensure that we can live and work in a world that is free from sexual violence of any kind. I sincerely hope that survivors continue to tell their stories and fight for accountability.”
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services