*Content Warning, this article discusses rape
64-year-old Kevin Spacey faced a series of 12 charges stemming from events between 2004 and 2013, including seven counts of sexual assault, three counts of indecent assault, one count of sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. However, just before the final trial, four indecent assault charges were dropped by the judge due to a legal technicality.
Throughout the trial, Spacey maintained his innocence, vehemently denying all allegations and dismissing them as “madness” and a “stab in the back.” He even suggested that the accusers were driven by financial motives.
The prosecution, representing claims from four men in their 20s and 30s, portrayed Spacey as a “sexual bully,” alleging that he used his fame to make “others feel powerless and uncomfortable.”
In his defence Spacey’s team argued that his sexual encounters were consensual and acknowledged that he might have made a “clumsy pass” at a man during a party but firmly denied ever grabbing anyone’s crotch.
Spacey recounted stories from his illustrious career during the trial and called on Elton John and his husband David Furnish as defense witnesses.
After more than 12 hours of deliberation, the jury reached a decision. On Spacey’s birthday, Wednesday 26, the verdict was announced, and to his visible relief, he was found “not guilty” on the majority of the charges. He shed tears of emotion upon hearing the verdict.
Speaking outside the courthouse, Spacey expressed his gratitude to the jury for thoroughly examining all the evidence and humbly accepted the outcome. “There’s a lot for me to process,” he stated.
These allegations first surfaced against Spacey six years ago, and the legal battle has been closely followed by the public and media alike.
Please note that while some charges have been dismissed, this verdict doesn’t erase the seriousness of the accusations or the impact on those involved. The case has raised important conversations about consent and power dynamics in Hollywood and beyond.
