Image Credit: Google
An actor who’s accused Kevin Spacey of making a sexual advance on him as a 14-year-old recounted the episode for a New York City jury on Friday, testifying he felt helpless when Spacey climbed on top of him in bed.
Image Credit: Google
Kevin Spacey appeared in a New York court on Thursday to face an accusation by fellow actor Anthony Rapp that he was sexually abused by the actor as a minor.
Image Credit: Google
During opening arguments in the case, presided over by Judge Lewis Kaplan, Rapp's lawyer Peter Saghir told a jury of six men and six women that Spacey,
Image Credit: Google
then in his late 20s, committed "unacceptable" acts against his then-teenaged client, "intentionally to satisfy the drive of his sexual desires".
Image Credit: Google
The alleged assault, at Spacey's New York apartment, "never should have happened", Mr Saghir continued. "He was 14 years old."
Image Credit: Google
Spacey, who went on to star in films like The Usual Suspects and American Beauty, has kept a fairly low profile since the allegation, which emerged in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which highlighted widespread abuse in the film industry.
Image Credit: Google
Last month, Rapp spoke about his accusation in an interview with BuzzFeed News.
Image Credit: Google
Spacey responded online, offering his "sincerest apology" to Rapp for any "deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour", saying he did not recall the alleged incident.
Image Credit: Google
Rapp filed a civil lawsuit after a 2020 criminal charge of sexual assault was dismissed by a judge.
Image Credit: Google
According to court documents, Rapp claims that during the party 35 years ago, Spacey lifted him up and that his hand "grazed" his buttocks.
Image Credit: Google
Rapp claims Spacey then placed him back down on a bed and "briefly placed his own clothed body partially beside and partially across" his own.
Image Credit: Google
He told the court there had been "no kissing, no undressing, no reaching under clothes, and no sexualised statements or innuendo," during the alleged incident which lasted no more than two minutes.
Image Credit: Google
His lawyer said Spacey's behaviour was "wrong and frankly unacceptable." "This was not horseplay," he added.
Image Credit: Google
A trial will take place in June 2023, with a pre-hearing expected to take place early next year.
Image Credit: Google