LONDON (AP) — A London jury acquitted Kevin Spacey on sexual assault charges on Wednesday after a four-week trial in which the actor said he was a "big flirt" who had consensual flings with men and whose only misstep was touching a man's groin while making a "clumsy pass."
READ MORE: Jury concludes Kevin Spacey didn't molest actor Anthony Rapp in 1986
Three men accused the Oscar winner of aggressively grabbing their crotches. A fourth, an aspiring actor seeking mentorship, said he awoke to the actor performing oral sex on him after going to Spacey's London apartment for a beer and either falling asleep or passing out.
All the men said the contact was unwanted but Spacey testified that the young actor and another man had willingly participated in consensual acts. He said a third man's allegation that he grabbed his privates like a striking "cobra" backstage at a theater was "pure fantasy."
He said he didn't remember a fourth incident at a small party at a home he rented in the country but accepted that he touched the groin of a man he had met at a pub during a night of heavy drinking. He said he had misread the man's interest in him and said he had probably made an awkward pass.
Defense lawyer Patrick Gibbs said three of the men were liars and incidents had been "reimagined with a sinister spin." He accused most of them of hopping on a "bandwagon" of complaints in the hope of striking it rich.
Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.
Canvas supported by
Knight Foundation
Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Data shows that global levels of the three main heat-trapping greenhouse gases -- carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide --…
Few musical acts have enjoyed the success and long run of the legendary band Bon Jovi. A revealing new documentary…
Barbara Walters became an icon of the industry, rising through the ranks to become one of the country's first and…
On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie, one of the world's best-known writers, was attacked and nearly killed by a young…
Creative Growth is an art center in Oakland that supports artists with disabilities. The center has artworks in museums across…
A scholar highlights some of the most interesting versions of the Passover text, from sumptuous engravings to stick-figure sketches, and…
The 1920s silent film star who appears on Taylor Swift's new album "The Tortured Poets Department" abruptly left Hollywood at…
The NBA has banned Toronto two-way player Jontay Porter after a league probe found he disclosed confidential information to sports…
The new film "Civil War" is stirring debate and provoking conversation about where a divided nation could lead. It topped…
A movie weapons supervisor has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by…
PEN's response to Israel's invasion of Gaza has been widely criticized by writers who believe the organization has failed to…
Faith Ringgold, an award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her…
Entrepreneur and author Derrick Fennell has been a flight attendant for more than 14 years. Many of his passengers know…
The Italian-born designer became renowned in the early 1970s for his animal prints and a sexy Italian style that remained…
More than 4,000 library book bans were attempted in public and school libraries in 2023, according to the American Library…