Unexpected Twist: Kevin Spacey Acquitted of Sexual Assault Charges in Dramatic UK Trial

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Kevin Spacey was cleared of all sexual assault charges on Wednesday, July 26, following his four-week trial in the U.K.

According to Variety, the actor wept upon hearing the verdict on his 64th birthday.

Spacey was charged with 12 offenses, including several counts of sexual assault and one count of coercing someone into participating in non-consensual penetrative sexual acts. The reported incidents involved Spacey and four different men, spanning from 2001 to 2013, during his tenure as the artistic director of the Old Vic theater in London.

According to ABC, the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime Division announced in May 2022 that criminal charges have been authorized against Kevin Spacey. The charges include four counts of sexual assault against three men and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. These charges come after a review of evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in their investigation.

Prior to his legal battle in the United Kingdom, Spacey faced accusations of sexual misconduct and assault in the United States. In October 2017, Broadway star Anthony Rapp alleged that the two-time Oscar winner had made unwanted sexual advances toward him in 1985 when Rapp was 14 years old.

A week following the exposure of Rapp's allegations, a total of eight House of Cards staff members accused Spacey of engaging in sexual misconduct. During this period, Spacey's spokesperson informed us that he was actively pursuing unspecified treatment. (Spacey had a leading role on the Netflix series from 2013 to 2017.)

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The November 2017 statement stated that Kevin Spacey is currently undergoing evaluation and treatment. No further details are currently provided. As a consequence, Spacey was dismissed from House of Cards and was replaced by Christopher Plummer in the film All the Money in the World, necessitating reshoots.

As more allegations surfaced, Spacey faced increased scrutiny and legal consequences. In June 2019, the star of "The Man Who Drew God" appeared in a Massachusetts court where he was accused of groping an 18-year-old man's genitals at a bar on Nantucket Island in the summer of 2016. He faced charges of indecent assault and battery. However, the charges were ultimately dismissed by the Nantucket District Court Clerk's office, citing the unavailability of the accuser as a witness at that time.

Later in the same year, charges against Spacey were dropped in Los Angeles as well. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office decided not to proceed with the case after the anonymous massage therapist who had accused the actor of sexual battery and assault passed away.