Kevin Spacey has taken the stand as the primary witness in his personal protection within the sexual misconduct trial in opposition to him, introduced by actor Anthony Rapp.
In a response to the primary query from his legal professional, Chase Scolnick, Spacey stated Rapp’s allegations usually are not true.
Earlier, attorneys for actor Anthony Rapp completed presenting their case in opposition to Spacey.
In a serious victory for Spacey on Monday, Decide Lewis Kaplan granted a protection request to dismiss a declare of intentional infliction of emotional misery. Rapp’s lawyer tried to persuade Kaplan to maintain it in, however Kaplan stated no.
Kaplan beforehand dismissed an assault declare on this case in June.
Rapp’s lawyer had no remark about Monday’s ruling.
Rapp, greatest identified for his function in “Star Trek: Discovery,” claims that in 1986, Spacey, then 26, invited Rapp, then 14, to his Manhattan dwelling the place he picked Rapp up, laid him down on his mattress, grabbed his buttocks and pressed his groin into Rapp’s physique with out his consent. He’s suing Spacey for battery.
Spacey’s attorneys have tried to poke holes in Rapp’s claims by pointing to discrepancies, together with dates Rapp claimed to have run into Spacey at trade occasions.
Earlier than ending his time on the stand final week, Rapp’s legal professional Peter Saghir requested the actor if he had been mendacity about his allegations in opposition to Spacey.
“I’ve not. It was one thing that occurred to me that was not okay,” Rapp testified.
In Spacey’s testimony Monday, he additionally denied allegations made by Andrew Holtzman, who was referred to as to the stand earlier within the trial for Rapp’s workforce.
Holtzman publicly alleged in 2017 that Spacey had grabbed his crotch and pressed his physique in opposition to him with out his consent, which Spacey denied on the stand.
When requested by his legal professional, Spacey testified that he’s all the time been personal about his life and his upbringing. He stated his late father was a White supremacist and neo-Nazi, a reality he testified he’s by no means disclosed publicly earlier than.
His father’s prejudicial views fostered his “intolerance” to bigotry, Spacey stated, and likewise, partly, stored him from publicly acknowledging he’s homosexual sooner.
Spacey stated he grappled along with his sexuality as a result of his father used derogatory language about being homosexual and towards Spacey’s curiosity in theater.
He wished followers to recollect the roles he’s performed, so he purposely stored quiet about his private life, Spacey testified.
“I used to be accused of attempting to alter the topic, or attempting to deflect, or that I used to be conflating an allegation with being homosexual, which was by no means my intention,” Spacey stated via tears. “I might have by no means completed something to harm the homosexual group, and I used to be so upset that that was what occurred. I understood it looking back.”
Spacey grew emotional testifying in regards to the 2017 assertion he put out in response to Rapp’s allegations published by Buzzfeed, stating his publicity workforce suggested him that he’d be labeled a sufferer blamer if he pushed again.
“I used to be being inspired to apologize and I’ve realized a lesson which is rarely apologize for one thing you didn’t do,” Spacey testified. “I remorse my whole assertion.”
He got here out as homosexual in his public response to Rapp’s allegations and testified he regretted it “inside minutes” of releasing his 2017 assertion.
The trial will resume Tuesday morning, when Spacey is predicted to be cross-examined.