Actor Kevin Spacey denies sexually assaulting teen on Nantucket

[webfact]

Actor Kevin Spacey denies sexually assaulting teen on Nantucket

By Nate Raymond

 

Actor Kevin Spacey is arraigned on a sexual assault charge at Nantucket District Court in Nantucket, Massachusetts, U.S., January 7, 2019. Nicole Harnishfeger/Pool via REUTERS

 

NANTUCKET, Mass. (Reuters) - Former "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey stood impassively in a Nantucket courtroom on Monday before pleading not guilty to sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man at an island bar over two years ago, a charge his lawyer dismissed as "patently false."

 

Spacey did not speak during a brief hearing in Nantucket District Court to face one count of felony indecent assault and battery, though a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.

 

Defence lawyer Alan Jackson persuaded Judge Thomas Barrett to order Spacey's alleged victim to preserve all data from his cell phone for six months following the July 7, 2016, incident. He said in court papers the charges were based on "patently false allegations."

 

Jackson said police reports showed the 18-year-old busboy exchanged numerous text messages and Snapchat videos with his then-girlfriend about his interactions with Spacey at the Club Car bar on the beach resort island off the coast of Massachusetts but never mentioned the alleged assault.

 

Spacey could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

 

The 59-year-old actor is one of dozens of men in entertainment, business and politics who have been accused of sexual misconduct since accusations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017 sparked the #MeToo movement.

 

Monday's hearing drew dozens of journalists from around the world at what is normally a quiet time of year on the island.

Nantucket residents normally take pride in not making a fuss about rich and powerful vacationers, who have ranged from the NFL's New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick to former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, according to local media.

 

Megan Keller, the manager of a coffee shop, called the prospects of a high-profile criminal trial "obnoxious."

 

"That's not a reason I'd like people to come, because someone committed a crime," she said.

 

Spacey became embroiled in controversy in October 2017 when actor Anthony Rapp accused him of trying to seduce him in 1986 when Rapp was 14.

 

Spacey apologised for inappropriate conduct with Rapp. The controversy led to Spacey being dropped from the Netflix series "House of Cards" and erased from the film "All the Money in the World."

 

The Nantucket allegations were first raised in 2017 by former Boston television journalist Heather Unruh, who told reporters Spacey groped her teenage son.

 

He told police Spacey had bought him several rounds of beer and whiskey and said, "Let's get drunk," according to charging documents. The busboy told investigators that Spacey groped him as they stood next to a piano.

 

Reuters is not identifying Unruh's son because he is an alleged victim of sex assault.

 

"My client is a determined and encouraging voice for those victims not yet ready to report being sexually assaulted," attorney Mitchell Garabedian said in an email.

 

Other locals said they hoped the case would not hurt the island's reputation as a low-key getaway for the well-off.

 

"If you're famous and you don't want to be seen, Nantucket is the place for you," said Greg Margolis, the owner of the Corner Table Cafe.

 

(Reporting by Nate Raymond, writing by Scott Malone; Editing by Frances Kerry and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-08

[observer90210]

would the 18 year old have made such a fuss if it was the average Mr Anybody ?

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Why are they manhandling him like this?

[milwaukeeboy]

There once was a man from Nantucket ....

[Huckenfell]

Why did it take him 2 years to remember it ?

 

[kamahele]

Mr. Spacey is clearly a pig as evidenced in a long history of piggish behavior, however this story is a bit fishy. Perhaps the story may become clearer during trial.

[wreckingcountry]

Piggish ? You don’t know him unless you are a pig


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Gillyflower]

I saw an interview with Spacey, where he said that if I didn't get convicted for the things I did do, I sure as hell don't want to be convicted for something that I didn't do.

[Proboscis]

15 minutes ago, wreckingcountry said:

Piggish ? You don’t know him unless you are a pig


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Spacey was Director of The Old Vic of Theatre in London and the number of reports in the British newspapers, including the quality newspapers, of his behaviour while in that post were numerous. Given that wealthy people can sue for libel in the UK for large sums of money and Spacey did not implies that at least some of it was true.

 

The stories were mainly about drunken behaviour and young men receiving unwanted sexual advances from Spacey - Scotland Yard had 6 open cases of sexual assault in this regard against Spacey in 2018 - I don't know what happened to them.

 

So, no I don't know him but I certainly know of him and I think he is probably capable of piggish behaviour. But being a pest does not make someone a rapist and he should not get 5 years for touching someone's genitals for it, as in the Nantucket case. And there are a number of troubling issues about the case, such as the alleged victim lying about his age and staying around and not complaining and even photographing what was going on. But that said, given the man's piggish behaviour, something was bound to happen.

[farcanell]

1 hour ago, Huckenfell said:

Why did it take him 2 years to remember it ?

 

Them new fangled iPhone thingies throw up anniversary messages from there rememory apps ????

[RichardColeman]

When he's released and back in the world of acting, can he please remake the terrible last series of House of Cards!

[IAMHERE]

I just wonder how is the lads mommy making money out of this? It's all about the money. Does TMZ pay her for interviews or she is writing a book or what ?  Too much ado over an inept attempt to get into the young mans panties.

[balo]

7 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Why are they manhandling him like this?

Looks like a real action scene from a new Kevin Spacey movie "The back row" .

 

 

[xylophone]

13 minutes ago, balo said:

Looks like a real action scene from a new Kevin Spacey movie "The back row" .

 

 

Given it's Spacey, shouldn't that be, "The back door"??

[BritManToo]

He was great in American Beauty.

[Stargeezr]

So Kevin leaves the court house, runs to DC gets caught for speeding. Looks like great karma,

or old Kevin needs more mug shots.

Geezer