after the trial, the jury deliberates

After several weeks of trial in London, Kevin Spacey, accused of sexual assault by several men, withdrew to deliberate.

[Mis à jour le 25 juillet 2023 à 10h00] After several weeks of trial for sexual assault, the jury which must decide on the fate of Kevin Spacey withdrew to deliberate this Monday, July 24, 2023. The actor, tried since the end of June in London after the accusation of four men, pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. He described himself as a “big flirty” while denying being “violent” or “aggressive”. The prosecution, for its part, described him as a “sexual harasser”.

As a reminder, four men accuse Kevin Spacey of assaulting them between 2001 and 2013. One of them claims that the 63-year-old actor “drugged” him and had sex with him while he was asleep. These accusations came out in 2017, in the midst of the #MeToo movement. The actor was then adored for his performance in the series House of Cards. Subsequently, he was removed from several series and film projects with which he was associated. Kevin Spacey notably mentioned, during this London trial, his “lost” reputation, saying he was “broken” by these accusations. In particular, he received the support ofElton John who testified on his behalf during the trial.

Anthony Rapp’s accusations against Kevin Spacey

In 2017, actor Anthony Rapp (Rent, Star Trek: Discovery) accused Kevin Spacey of sexually harassing him at a party when he was just 14 years old. At the time, the House of Cards star was 26. In an interview with the BuzzFeed site, Anthony Rapp explains that he was invited to a party at Kevin Spacey’s in New York in 1986. According to Anthony Rapp, the star of House of Cards would have “raised him like a groom can with his new wife.” Subsequently, the actor finds himself above the young man. “He was trying to seduce me” recalls Anthony Rapp. “I was aware that he was thinking of me in a sexual way.” The young man then left the apartment, not knowing what to think of what had just happened. He reportedly contacted a lawyer, who advised him not to take legal action.

A few hours after Anthony Rapp’s statements, comedian Kevin Spacey took to Twitter, posting a long message of apology. “I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I am beyond horrified by this story. Quite honestly, I don’t remember this meeting, which would have taken place 30 years ago. But if I acted as he describes it, I am sincerely sorry for what appears to be inappropriate behavior while intoxicated.” Subsequently, the actor took the opportunity to come out gay.