A New York court ruled on Thursday that there was no evidence of actor Kevin Spacey sexually abusing Anthony Rapp in 1986.
The ruling comes at the end of a three-week civil trial in New York. Anthony Rapp sued Kevin Spacey in 2020 and sought $40 million (£36 million) in damages.
Rapp said the abuse happened in 1986 when Rapp, then 14, met Spacey at a party in Manhattan. Spacey was 26 at the time. Rapp claimed that Spacey laid on top of him on a bed and pushed his groin onto Rapp until he was able to wriggle free.
Rapp’s lawyer Richard Steigman claimed Spacey was lying on the stand and said Spacey “lacks credibility.” Spacey’s lawyer Jennifer Keller on the other hand, said Rapp made up the entire encounter.
“Mr Rapp is getting more attention in this trial than he has in his entire acting life,” Keller stated.
Despite several others coming forward with their allegations of abuse against Spacey, the court ultimately ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence of the incident involving Rapp and Spacey.
Now 63, Spacey has constantly denied Rapp’s claims. He still faces five charges of sexual assault in the UK with the trial set to begin in June 2023.
— Anthony Rapp SAG-AFTRA National & NY Board Member (@albinokid) October 20, 2022
Rapp posted a message on social media, thanking the jury for their service after the verdict. He also pledged to advocate “for efforts to ensure we can live and work in a world that is free from sexual violence of any kind.”
