In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell book
BBC - Honduras - CIA Trial book - NY Mag

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 17 – Anthony Rapp's lawsuit against Kevin Spacey was removed to Federal court in November 2020, and an anonymous co-plaintiff C.D. was added.

Spacey wanted to make C.D.'s name public, to order to conduct discovery, he says.  C.D.'s lawyers opposed it, letter on Patreon here.

On May 26, 2022 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Lewis A. Kaplan held a hearing, with Spacey testifying, on Rapp's motion to remand the case. Judge Kaplan at the end said it is his present intention to deny the motion to remand, and that the trial will start in October. Inner City Press attended then tweeted here. [Then video here]

On October 17, in the afternoon, Spacey explained (away?) his apology, and minimized his link(s) with Jeffrey Epstein, thread here:

OK - after (long) lunch break, they're back. Judge Kaplan: Mr. Spacey, or Mr. Fowler, tell me how you'd referred to be referred to. Spacey: Spacey is fine. Easel is pulled out, to demonstrate apartment lay-out.

Q: What about your personal life in 1986? Did you drink? Spacey: Socially. But Long Day's Journey into Night was very demanding. Q: Did you use any drugs in 1986 in New York? Spacey: Not in New York. Q: Did you throw parties? Spacey: Only 1. And not in May.

Q: What would happen after the performances? Spacey: I'd often end up in Mr. Lemmon's dressing room. He's say, "Wasn't I wonderful tonight?" [Spacey says it in a Jack Lemmon voice] Then I'd take a taxi to 66th Street and 2nd Avenue.

Spacey: In late 1987, I got a TV show, and I saw myself with a cigarette and a beer and it was 9:30 am. I said to myself, if I keep this up I'll be a barstool saying, It could have been me. So I stopped for eight years.

Spacey: When I met then in Jack Lemmon's dressing room, Anthony Rapp seemed like a boy, and John Barrowman appeared to be man. Spacey's lawyer: Let me know you a photo. Rapp's lawyer: Voir dire? [Then] No objection.

 Q: Where did you all go to dinner? Spacey: There are many restaurants, Joe Allen's and others. I don't remember which one we went to. I was focused on Mr. Barrowman. We had a drink at the Limelight. I danced with him.

Spacey: I said, Do you want to meet my dog? And we took a cab up to 66th Street. John and I saw on the bed, there was something going on. It has been testified that Mr. Rapp went to the bathroom. When he came out and we went downstairs. I had to walk my dog.

 Spacey: Now later there was the Me Too movement. I think it had an impact because the claims against Harvey Weinstein were investigated for a year. Spacey's lawyer: Did you get this email from Mr. Vary?

Spacey: Yes, the *journalist* [like in air quotes] Spacey: Then the article came out. My publicists said, You have to apologize, you can't push back, they're going to call you a victim-blamer.

 Q: Did you team tell you that you had to express respect for Mr. Rapp, and regret? Spacey: Yes. But I insisted that we use the word "if." Take it seriously but not factually.  Q: Were you told to go out and do an interview about your sexuality, a bigger story?

 Spacey: Yes. I was ready to put my sexuality behind myself.  Lawyer: Let's take a break.

They've back. Spacey: Since the plane that I was on, on an AIDS mission, was owned by Jeffrey Epstein, it was being reported I had gone to Pedo Island. Yes, I met Jeffrey Epstein. But I never went to any island.

Spacey: It was also being reported that in a pizzeria basement in DC, along with Anderson Cooper and Hillary Clinton, I was eating babies. Spacey's lawyer: And that's false, right? Spacey: Yes, it's false. Spacey: I was accused by the gay community of trying to change the subject (sniffles or sobs) Rapp's lawyer: Objection. Judge: Overruled. 

Spacey: I see why people thought that. That's mine, I have to own it. And I deeply sorry. (Leans forward, sobbing) Note: This is not about a DC pizzeria basement - Epstein's Africa junket with Bill Clinton et al was a long trip. More later - they're back.

 Spacey: There were even people saying I should issue my statement before the article came out. But I thought I might learn from the article. Spacey's lawyer: Is this an email you wrote to Evan Lowenstein? Spacey: Yes

Spacey's lawyer: In it you say you had a dream that made you realize, what? Spacey: That I didn't have a bedroom until 1991. I had a dream about Jack Lemmon, he visited me at 302 West 12th, and wrote me a letter to the board as Waverly Place. I

Now Rapp's lawyers say they want to argue to expand the scope of cross examination of Spacey. So jury has been excused. Rapp's lawyer: There is an inference that Mr. Spacey is sexual attracted to boys. On direct he has said he is not interested in boys. And see Exhibit VV

Rapp's lawyer: The defendant has opened the door. So we have impeachment testimony. Justin Dawes was 16. I would like to confront Mr. Spacey with his testimony.

Judge Kaplan: Rule 608e -- Mr Scolnick, control yourself.

Scolnick: Mr Dawes was combative and disrespectful of counsel. We have Mr. Brown -- Judge: Remind me what he says. Scolnick: He contradicts Dawes. It's all a distraction.

Rapp's lawyer: Mr. Spacey is under indictment in the UK for this conduct, while in the Old Vic -- Judge Kaplan: Do you have witnesses? He has denied the complaint in the UK. The presumption of innocence applies in the UK too. We're not trying the English case

Judge Kaplan: So I'll await more filings.

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room 480, front cubicle
500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA

Mail: Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2020 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com