Current:Home > InvestLondon jury acquits Kevin Spacey of sexual assault charges on his birthday -Momentum Wealth Path
London jury acquits Kevin Spacey of sexual assault charges on his birthday
View
Date:2025-04-16 17:15:21
LONDON (AP) — Kevin Spacey was acquitted of sexual assault on Wednesday after the Oscar winner’s testimony as a witness in his own defense spared him a possible prison term and gave him a shot at a career comeback.
Tears rolled down Spacey’s cheeks as the final “not guilty” verdict was read. It was his 64th birthday.
Spacey’s wide-ranging testimony climaxed as he choked up speaking of the six years he’d gone without work after sex abuse allegations surfaced against him during the #MeToo movement in the U.S. in 2017.
Other news Jury in Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault trial ends 1st day of deliberations in London Jurors in the sexual assault trial of Kevin Spacey have adjourned without reaching a verdict after deliberating for more than two hours in a London court. Kevin Spacey’s lawyer says three of the actor’s sexual assault accusers are ‘liars’ Kevin Spacey’s defense lawyer says three of the actor’s four accusers are liars. Attorney Patrick Gibbs told jurors Thursday in a London courtroom that the testimony against Spacey relied on fictions and fantasies. Prosecutor says Kevin Spacey used celebrity status for ‘opportunity grab’ described by accusers A prosecutor says it’s more than a coincidence that three of Kevin Spacey’s four accusers described similar crotch-grabbing incidents. Elton John lends celebrity testimony to Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault trial Elton John has testified for the defense at Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault trial as the actor’s lawyer attempted to discredit a man who claimed Spacey aggressively grabbed his crotch in a car on the way to the singer’s house.“My world exploded,” Spacey testified. “There was a rush to judgment and before the first question was asked or answered I lost my job, I lost my reputation, I lost everything in a matter of days.”
Three men accused the Oscar winner of aggressively grabbing their crotches. A fourth, an aspiring actor seeking mentorship, said he awoke to the actor performing oral sex on him after going to Spacey’s London apartment for a beer and either falling asleep or passing out.
Spacey said he was a “big flirt” who had consensual flings with men and whose only misstep was touching a man’s groin while making a “clumsy pass.”
Defense lawyer Patrick Gibbs said three of the men were liars and incidents had been “reimagined with a sinister spin.” He accused most of them of hopping on a “bandwagon” of complaints in the hope of striking it rich.
Prosecutor Christine Agnew told jurors that Spacey was a “sexual bully” who took what he wanted when he wanted. She said he was shielded by a “trinity of protection”: he knew men were unlikely to complain; they wouldn’t be believed if they did complain; and if they did complain, no action would be taken because he was powerful.
Spacey had faced nine charges, including multiple counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
The accusations date from 2001 to 2013 and include a period when Spacey — after winning Academy Awards for “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty” — had returned to the theater, his first love. During most of that period he was artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre in London.
The men came forward after an American actor accused Spacey of an incident of sexual misconduct as the #MeToo movement heated up in 2017.
Several of the men said they had been haunted by the abuse and couldn’t bear to watch Spacey’s films.
One of the men broke down when speaking with police as he provided details in a videotaped interview about the oral sex incident that he said he’d never told anyone before. Another man said he was angry about the abuse that occurred sporadically over several years and began to drink and work out more to cope with it.
Spacey choked up and became teary eyed in the witness box as he described the emotional and financial turmoil that the U.S. accusations brought and the barrage of criticism that followed on social media.
“My world exploded,” Spacey testified. “There was a rush to judgment and before the first question was asked or answered I lost my job, I lost my reputation, I lost everything in a matter of days.”
Gibbs said Spacey was being “monstered” on the internet every night and became toxic in the industry.
Spacey was booted from “House of Cards” and his scenes in “All the Money in the World,” were scrubbed and he was replaced by Christopher Plummer. Aside from some small projects, he has barely worked as an actor in six years.
A New York jury last year swiftly cleared Spacey in a $40 million lawsuit by “Star Trek: Discovery” actor Anthony Rapp on allegations dating back three decades.
Spacey had viewed the London case as a chance for redemption, telling German magazine Zeit last month that there were “people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London.”
veryGood! (179)
Related
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Trader Joe's recall: Steamed chicken soup dumplings could contain pieces of hard plastic
- First over-the-counter birth control pill heads to stores
- Sydney Sweeney Revisits Glen Powell Affair Rumors on SNL Before He Makes Hilarious Cameo
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- At least 2 wounded in shooting outside high school basketball game near Kansas City
- Johnny Manziel won't attend Heisman Trophy ceremony until Reggie Bush gets trophy back
- Prisoners with developmental disabilities face unique challenges. One facility is offering solutions
- Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
- You Won’t Believe All the Hidden Gems We Found From Amazon’s Outdoor Decor Section for a Backyard Oasis
Ranking
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- 2 police horses on the lam cause traffic jam on I-90 in Cleveland area
- Cancer patient dragged by New York City bus, partially paralyzed, awarded $72.5 million in lawsuit
- Iowa Democrats were forced to toss the caucus. They’ll quietly pick a 2024 nominee by mail instead
- Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
- Mall fire in Bangladesh capital kills at least 43, including women and children, health minister says
- Why Joey Graziadei Is Defending Sydney Gordon After Bachelor Drama
- Why is Victoria Beckham using crutches at her Paris Fashion Week show?
Recommendation
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
Stock market today: Japan’s Nikkei tops 40,000, as investors await China political meeting
Here are the top reactions to Caitlin Clark becoming the NCAA's most prolific scorer
Former NFL player Braylon Edwards saves 80-year-old man from gym locker room attack
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
Here are our 10 best college podcasts in America
Prince William visits synagogue after bailing on event as Kate and King Charles face health problems
As an opioids scourge devastates tribes in Washington, lawmakers advance a bill to provide relief