NEW YORK: A Manhattan jury began deliberating on Thursday in the sex abuse trial of actor Kevin Spacey, who was accused in a civil lawsuit of making an unwanted sexual advance on a 14-year-old in 1986.

Anthony Rapp, now 50, claimed the abuse took place in Spacey’s New York apartment when the actor was 26. Spacey denied the allegation on the stand and said he had never been alone with Rapp.

Spacey’s lawyer, Jennifer Keller, said during her closing arguments that Rapp fabricated his story because he wanted attention, among other possible motivations for lying.

“Mr Rapp is getting more attention in this trial than he has in his entire acting life,” Keller said.

Rapp’s lawyer, Richard Steigman, urged jurors to discredit Spacey’s recollection of the events.

“It’s inconsistent. It’s not worthy of your belief,” Steigman said during closing arguments.

The trial in Manhattan federal court began on Oct 6, just under five years after Spacey’s career was upended by sexual misconduct allegations in the early days of the #MeToo movement. He has denied any misconduct.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2022