UK Trial Rules Kevin Spacey Not Guilty Of Nine Charges Of Sexual Misconduct
Kevin Spacey's four-week United Kingdom-based trial over sexual misconduct allegations has finally reached a verdict. According to Deadline, the London jury at the Southwark Crown Court found the actor not guilty on Wednesday, July 26. Spacey was facing nine sexual offense charges at the trial, which are said to have been committed between 2001 and 2013.
Per the report, Spacey has been acquitted of seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to take part in sexual activity without consent, and one count of forcing someone to engage in a penetrative sexual act without permission. Some of the complainants alleged that Spacey aggressively grabbed their crotches, while another man claimed that the "American Beauty" star performed a sex act on him while he was asleep.
Spacey, meanwhile, denied all of the accusations from the get-go, claiming that they were fabricated and vindictive. Furthermore, he was reported to have tears on his face after the not-guilty verdict was confirmed at today's trial, marking his latest court victory following years of legal battles over misconduct allegations.
Kevin Spacey's history of sexual misconduct allegations
This isn't the first time that Kevin Spacey has been on trial after being accused of sexual misconduct. In 2017, "Star Trek Discovery" actor Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey made inappropriate advances toward him in 1986. Rapp was still a teenager during the year in question, but Spacey denied having any recollection of the incident. He was acquitted of these charges in 2022, as documented by NBC News.
Spacey's career has been on a downward spiral since the controversies came to light. Netflix canceled "House of Cards" following Rapp's allegations, and he was completely cut from Ridley Scott's "All the Money in the World." The actor has appeared in some projects since then, including "The Man Who Drew God" and the upcoming "Gore," "Control," and "Peter Five Eight" movies.
As the aforementioned Deadline report noted, Spacey recently said that some filmmakers are open to working with him again, provided that he was found not guilty at the end of his latest trial. However, it remains to be seen what's in store for his career moving forward.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).