Actor found not guilty of sexual assault charges in London court in 2023
Kevin Spacey pushed back against a documentary exploring new allegations of sexual abuse against the embattled actor.
The "House of Cards" star slammed the upcoming doc, titled "Spacey Unmasked," as a "one-sided" version of events and stated the seven days given to him by Channel 4 (the U.K. station first airing the doc) to respond was not a "fair opportunity."
"I will not sit back and be attacked by a dying network's one-sided ‘documentary’ about me in their desperate attempt for ratings," Spacey wrote. "There's a proper channel to handle allegations against me and it’s not Channel 4."
KEVIN SPACEY FOUND NOT GUILTY IN SEXUAL ASSAULT TRIAL
"Each time I have been given the time and a proper forum to defend myself, the allegations have failed under scrutiny and I have been exonerated."
Despite Spacey's comments, Channel 4 continued on with their plans to air the documentary, telling Fox News Digital, "We are going ahead and broadcasting." The two-part documentary is set to air in the U.K. on May 6 and May 7 and will later air in the United States.
Kevin Spacey pushed back against the release of a documentary that explores newly surfaced allegations of sexual assault. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images/File)
The documentary features alleged experiences told by 10 men who were only identified by their first names.
An actor named Daniel accused Spacey of "groping" him while he worked on the "House of Cards" set at age 23: "His hand touched my penis," Daniel alleged, according to Variety. "I was inappropriately touched on set at work."
Another actor, known only as Scott, said Spacey invited him to see "Saving Private Ryan" in theaters after meeting at the Viper Room the night before in 1998. During the opening scene of the movie, Scott alleged he witnessed Spacey "pleasuring himself" before reaching over and attempting to get the actor to "help out," Variety wrote.
Spacey has denied allegations of sexual assault.
Kevin Spacey said he was not given a "fair opportunity" to respond to the allegations. (Getty Images/File)
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Spacey is no stranger when it comes to these types of accusations.
He was acquitted on sexual misconduct charges in July 2023 after four weeks of testimony. Spacey had pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault, indecent assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. Four men testified about similar encounters that involved Spacey allegedly groping them.
Kevin Spacey, right, leaves a London court amid his sexual assault trial in 2023. (Getty Images/File)
However, the jury found him not guilty.
"I imagine that many of you can understand that there's a lot for me to process after what has just happened today," Spacey said after court. "But I would like to say that I'm enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts, carefully, before they reached their decision."
"I am humbled by the outcome today," he added. "I also want to thank the staff inside this courthouse, the security, Evan Lowenstein, and all those who took care of us every single day, my legal team ... for being here every day."
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Kevin Spacey speaks to the media after being found not guilty of sexual assault in a London court. (Getty Images/File)
The acts of which Spacey had been accused allegedly occurred between 2001 and 2013 and ranged from unwanted touching to aggressive crotch-grabbing and, in one instance, performing oral sex on an unconscious man.
Spacey allegedly seized brief moments for an "opportunity grab" and was able to get away with the assaults for years because he was a celebrity who took advantage of his power, prosecutor Christine Agnew said. The prosecution said the four men's accounts were similar, not because they had conspired to bring Spacey down but because groping was reportedly Spacey's "trademark" move.
A court sketch shows Kevin Spacey testifying in a London court. (Getty Images/File)
Spacey's defense lawyer said during closing arguments that three of the men were liars, and he suggested jurors not convict him for making a "clumsy pass" at a fourth man. Spacey testified over a span of two days, during which he denied violently groping one of his accusers and instead painted a picture of their "intimate" and "somewhat sexual" relationship for the jury. "I never thought that (the man) I knew would ... 20 years later stab me in the back," he said.
Spacey first faced allegations of sexual misconduct when actor Anthony Rapp came forward in 2017. Rapp accused Spacey of assaulting him at a party in the 1980s. However, Spacey was found not liable in Rapp's civil lawsuit.
Following Rapp's claim, more men came forward with accusations against Spacey, and the actor was booted from the Netflix show "House of Cards."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
