26-7-2023 (LONDON) Two-time Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey, renowned for his roles in movies and TV shows like “House of Cards,” was acquitted on Wednesday by a jury in Britain of nine counts of sexual assault.
After nearly six years since allegations of inappropriate behavior surfaced against Mr. Spacey on both sides of the Atlantic, the verdict was delivered by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London after just over 12 hours of deliberation.
As the verdicts were read out, Mr. Spacey, 64, stood in a transparent box in the courtroom, donning a dark blue suit, appearing emotionless until the final “not guilty” was declared. At that moment, the actor, whose birthday fell on the same day, broke down in tears and heaved a sigh of relief.
During the nearly month-long trial in London, the court heard testimonies from four men who claimed that Mr. Spacey assaulted them between 2001 and 2013. During most of this period, the actor served as the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre, a prominent London playhouse.
One of the complainants informed the British police that Mr. Spacey touched him without consent on multiple occasions. He described incidents, including one in either 2004 or 2005, when the actor allegedly grabbed his genitals so forcefully that they almost veered off the road while heading to Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara Ball.
Throughout the trial, Mr. Spacey, appearing under his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler, claimed that he and the complainant had a consensual “naughty relationship.” He also expressed feeling “crushed” by the complainant’s portrayal of their encounters. Elton John, testifying in defense of Mr. Spacey, stated that the actor attended his ball only once in 2001, several years before the complainant alleged the groping incident.
Another complainant said that he had written to Mr. Spacey, hoping that the actor would mentor him, and later went for a drink at Mr. Spacey’s London residence. He claimed that he fell asleep at the apartment and later woke up to find Mr. Spacey performing oral sex on him. During the trial, Mr. Spacey stated that they engaged in consensual oral sex, after which the man left hastily, as if regretting the encounter.
On July 20, Patrick Gibbs, Mr. Spacey’s legal representative, contended that three of the complainants were lying and made their accusations solely for financial gain. Mr. Gibbs added that Mr. Spacey’s promiscuous lifestyle made him an “easy target” for false allegations.
The trial in London is the latest that Mr. Spacey has successfully defended. In 2022, a federal jury in Manhattan found Mr. Spacey not liable for battery after actor Anthony Rapp filed a lawsuit accusing Mr. Spacey of climbing on top of him and making a sexual advance in 1986 when Mr. Rapp was 14.
However, the impact of Wednesday’s verdict on Mr. Spacey’s career remains uncertain. In June, Mr. Spacey mentioned in an interview with Zeit Magazin, a German magazine, that he intends to return to acting after the trial, stating, “I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges.”
