Kevin Spacey Trial Has Taken A Horrible Turn
Kevin Spacey's sexual assault trial has been delayed because a defense attorney contracted Covid-19.
2017 brought the beginning of the #MeToo movement and exposed many Hollywood elites for their abhorrent behavior towards others looking to make it in the industry. Among those that have been brought to the forefront of the accusations is Hollywood heavy hitter Harvey Weinstein, who is undoubtedly the face of the enemy as far as the movement is concerned, Louis CK, and Kevin Spacey. Fellow actor Anthony Rapp (Rent and Star Trek: Discovery) accused the latter of sexually assaulting him in 2017, alleging the House of Cards actor attacked him back in 1986. While the trial is underway, according to Deadline, it has taken a sharp turn toward turmoil as lead defense attorney Jennifer Keller tests positive for COVID.
Last week, Kevin Spacey’s lead defense attorney ripped holes in accuser Anthony Rapp’s testimony when she cross-examined him during the $40 million lawsuit against her Oscar-winning client. She pointed to inconsistencies and vague details of the plaintiff’s accusations, claiming the actor lied about being inspired by the New York Times article that kicked off the #MeToo movement to come forward about his experience. While her work rattled Rapp and made some much-needed headway in Spacey’s defense, they may have to do without her for a while since the defense team came forward and revealed she tested positive for COVID and will be out for recovery.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan looked to courthouse Covid protocols and ruled that all 12 of the jurors and ten others in the courtroom, including the entire defense team, their first row of supporters in the gallery, and at least one Rapp lawyer, Richard Steigman, would now have to get two rounds of tests on Sunday and Tuesday. The judge then stated that the goal was to protect the court and save the trial if possible. The last statement gives an ominous feeling toward the future of the Kevin Spacey trial; while a delay in the proceedings is definitely not ideal, a mistrial would mean the entire process (including Rapp’s traumatic testimony on the stand recounting the events) would need to happen all over again.
Kevin Spacey has a long career that spans all the way back to the 80s, but he didn’t become a household name until a span of two years (1995-1997) when he starred in five movies that all became successes; The Usual Suspects, Outbreak, Se7en, A Time to Kill, and L.A. Confidential. He has since appeared in everything from Academy Award darlings like American Beauty to superhero movies like Superman Returns and dark comedies like Horrible Bosses. The accusations he received during the #MeToo movement brought an end to his most recent and arguably most considerable success since American Beauty, Netflix‘s House of Cards.
Maybe representative of the entire message of the #MeToo movement, Anthony Rapp is the David to Kevin Spacey’s Goliath. His name is not one that would spark recognition in most households as he is primarily known for his run as Mark in both the Broadway and the movie versions of the musical Rent. He has appeared in other smaller films such as Road Trip and A Beautiful Mind, but he is most recently found success on Star Trek: Discovery. If the trial gets pushed back, the nightmare the actor lived in 1986 would be relived over again, something no victim should ever have to do.
