A judge dismissed a portion of Kevin Spacey’s sexual misconduct case.
Before Kevin Spacey spoke in court, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan dismissed an allegation of intentional infliction of mental distress. Spacey is accused of assaulting Anthony Rapp at a party in 1986, when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was more than a decade older.
The judge, unconvinced by the evidence offered by Rapp’s attorneys, permitted his battery allegations to proceed.
Monday, while testifying against the allegations, Spacey stated, “They are false; I had to keep everything that occurred in that house to myself.”
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“We never, ever discussed it. I have never discussed these matters in public.”
After a judge dropped a criminal prosecution of sexual assault against Spacey in 2020, Rapp launched a civil complaint against him, demanding compensation for mental and emotional anguish, medical bills, and loss of employment.
During his own testimony, 50-year-old Rapp was questioned if he had lied about his charges.
He replied, “No, I have not. Something that happened to me was not acceptable.”
Spacey’s attorney claimed earlier this month that Rapp invented the charges “for attention, sympathy, and to increase his own image” because he was envious of the success “American Beauty” actor Kevin Spacey experienced while his own playing career floundered.
In her opening statement, Jennifer Keller stated, “One of the cardinal laws of the so-called MeToo movement is that you must believe the victim. You’ll notice that Mr. Spacey stated, ‘This didn’t happen, and I don’t remember it.’
They instructed him to apologize. It was deftly arranged by Mr. Rapp… He has been telling this tale to boost his own reputation.
“He never became the international star that Kevin Spacey became, and he has been boiling with hatred for 30 years. This is difficult to defend.”
“As Mr. Spacey’s star soared, Mr. Rapp’s resentment intensified. The musical “Rent” was the pinnacle of his career. He reached his height in 2000 and subsequently became resentful. Thus, he came out as a gay actor. I doubt he would have been a leading man anyhow.”
Rapp alleged in court records that during a party in Manhattan, Spacey hoisted him up and “grazed” his buttocks with his hand.
The actor then allegedly placed him back on the bed and “briefly positioned his own clothed body partially alongside and across” his.
He stated that the alleged occurrence lasted no longer than two minutes and that there was “no kissing, undressing, reaching under clothing, or sexually explicit words or insinuation.”
Spacey had previously extended his “deepest apologies” to the actor of “Star Trek: Discovery” for any “very inappropriate intoxicated behavior,” but he has stated that he does not recall the encounter.
In addition, he pled not guilty to allegations of sexually abusing three men between March 2005 and April 2013 in the United Kingdom, although in Massachusetts, charges of indecent assault and sexual assault were withdrawn in 2019.