A New York jury concluded Thursday afternoon that Kevin Spacey should not be held liable for battery on allegations he molested fellow actor Anthony Rapp in 1986.
CNN reports that jurors deliberated for about an hour and found that Rapp did not prove that Spacey “touched a sexual or intimate part” of him, bringing a close to a $40 million civil lawsuit brought on in 2020.
Rapp alleged that in 1986, Spacey climbed on top of him at a party at the “House of Cards” actor’s home and made unwanted sexual advances, including grabbing his buttocks, lifting him onto a bed, and pressing his groin into Rapp’s body without his consent. At the time, Spacey was 26, and Rapp was 14.
Spacey denied the allegations in court, while his lawyers argued that Rapp brought on the claims because he was jealous of Spacey’s success in the entertainment industry.
In 2020, Rapp, best known for his role in “Star Trek: Discovery,” sued Spacey for an encounter he described as “incredibly frightening and very alarming.”
The suit was filed based on three claims that included assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The assault claim was dismissed by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan before the trial began. Rapp’s claim of emotional distress was also tossed out on the sixth day of the trial, leaving the jury to decide only the battery claim.
