The man who said actor Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted him at a bar in 2016 has dropped his lawsuit. A new filing from the plaintiff in Nantucket Superior Court said he is dropping the complaint “because no adverse party has served an answer or motion for summary judgement in this matter.”
The Spacey accuser’s attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who you may remember being portrayed in Spotlight, wrote in an email that the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed, but he didn’t elaborate. He said he wouldn’t discuss this further, according to The Los Angeles Times.
This complaint was dismissed with prejudice. That means the lawsuit can’t be brought again. The related criminal case against Spacey remains ongoing, however.
Authorities said the incident happened when the defendant visited The Club Car in Nantucket, Massachusetts in July 2016. Spacey allegedly got the alleged victim–an 18-year-old bus boy–drunk and fondled him under his pants without consent. The alleged victim told investigators he texted his girlfriend about the incident, and he snapchatted video to prove it, according to the incident report.
Spacey pleaded not guilty. His defense has argued that this groping was consensual. A judge allowed them the opportunity to inspect the accuser’s phone for any deleted messages that were linked to the case, but he, his mother, and their lawyer said last month they couldn’t find the device. They have until Monday to turn it over.
Spacey released a bizarre video last December in apparent response to the allegation.
Others, including actors Anthony Rapp and Harry Dreyfuss, have accused Spacey of sexual misconduct.
[Image via Nicole Harnishfeger-Pool/Getty Images]
