Kevin Spacey Found Not Liable in Anthony Rapp Sexual Abuse Case
House of Cards actor Kevin Spacey has been found not liable for sexual battery against accuser Anthony Rapp.
The civil trial against Spacey concluded on Thursday after getting underway on Oct. 6; jurors deliberated for just under 90 minutes before reaching a verdict.
More from TVLine
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have my case heard before a jury, and I thank the members of the jury for their service,” Rapp said via Twitter statement after the verdict came down. “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.”
Rapp, who currently co-stars on Star Trek: Discovery, alleged in October 2017 that Spacey had made an unwanted sexual advance toward him in 1986, when Rapp was only 14 and Spacey was 26. According to Rapp’s account, Spacey had invited Rapp to a party at his residence. During the party, Spacey allegedly came into a bedroom where Rapp was watching TV, picked Rapp up, placed him on the bed and climbed on top of him.
More men subsequently came forward with allegations against Spacey in the days after Rapp spoke out, and several House of Cards crew members told CNN that Spacey created a “toxic” work environment on the set of the Netflix political drama through alleged acts of sexual harassment and assault.
In September 2020, Rapp filed a lawsuit against Spacey for sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The assault claim was dismissed ahead of this month’s trial, while the emotional distress claim was tossed out during the trial, with Judge Lewis A. Kaplan stating that it “repeats and re-alleges” Rapp’s sexual battery claim.
Following the wave of allegations against Spacey in 2017, Netflix fired him from House of Cards, and the show’s sixth and final season proceeded without him. His character, Frank Underwood, was ultimately killed off for the final episodes.
Best of TVLine
Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter