Kevin Spacey’s tears flow after being acquitted of all charges

UPDATE


Jul 26, 2023 12:59 PM CDT

Kevin Spacey has been acquitted of sexual assault charges by a London jury after a four-week trial. During the trial, Spacey claimed to be a “big flirt” and stated that he had consensual encounters with men, with his only misstep being an incident in which he touched a man’s groin while making a “clumsy pass.” The trial, dubbed as one of the UK’s most high-profile #MeToo cases by the Guardian, involved three men accusing Spacey of aggressively grabbing their crotches. A fourth man, an aspiring actor seeking mentorship, alleged that Spacey performed oral sex on him while he was either asleep or passed out at the actor’s London apartment after going there for a drink. Spacey reportedly wept upon hearing the verdict.

Jul 26, 2023 9:35 AM CDT

All the men involved in the cases claimed that the contact was unwanted. However, Spacey testified that the young actor and another man willingly participated in consensual acts. He further denied a third man’s allegation that he grabbed his privates like a striking “cobra” backstage at a theater, calling it “pure fantasy.” Although he didn’t remember a fourth incident at a small party in a rented home, Spacey accepted that he touched the man’s groin after meeting him at a pub during a night of heavy drinking. He admitted to misreading the man’s interest in him and acknowledged making an awkward advance, as reported by the AP.

Kevin Spacey, who celebrated his 64th birthday on the same day as the verdict, faced nine charges, including multiple counts of sexual assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The accusations spanned from 2001 to 2013, covering a period when Spacey had returned to his first love, the theater, and served as the artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre in London. The accusers came forward following an incident of sexual misconduct involving Spacey reported by an American actor during the rise of the #MeToo movement in 2017.

Last year, Spacey was swiftly cleared by a New York jury in a $40 million lawsuit filed by actor Anthony Rapp of Star Trek: Discovery, which involved allegations dating back three decades. Spacey saw the London trial as an opportunity for personal redemption, stating in an interview with German magazine Zeit last month that there were potential job offers awaiting him once he was cleared of charges. (Read more Kevin Spacey stories.)