Kevin Spacey’s lead attorney has tested positive for COVID-19, court proceedings in the House of Cards actor’s highly publicized sex-abuse civil trial revealed Thursday morning, October 13, 2022. Following the revelation that this attorney, Jennifer Keller, who was not present, had tested positive for coronavirus, Manhattan Federal Court judge Lewis Kaplan asked Spacey’s team how much they had interacted with her. Had they been within six feet of her for a total of ten minutes or more over a 24-hour period? “A number of people have,” one of Spacey’s other attorneys replied, noting that Spacey’s supporters in the gallery might also qualify. “I think everybody in the first row has.”
Kaplan asked whether everyone at Spacey’s table had been vaccinated. The attorney said yes, and that they had all been boosted as well. Under current health guidelines, Kaplan said they could be in the courthouse, but must wear masks for “at least ten days.” They also have to test on Sunday and Tuesday and then report back the results. Worth noting: A maskless Spacey has been sitting next to a maskless Keller throughout the trial. For now, Kaplan said the trial will go ahead as planned.
Spacey is on trial in relation to Anthony Rapp’s sexual-misconduct accusations against him. The Star Trek: Discovery actor claims that Spacey made an aggressive, unwanted sexual overture toward him in 1986 when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26.
As the judge directed his deputy to compile a list of people in court who might have been exposed to COVID-19, Kaplan said he considered the jury to have potentially been exposed. Not everyone on the 12-member panel has been wearing masks since proceedings began on October 6, but none had identified themselves as unvaccinated.
“We’ll resume this morning and go as far as we can go,” he told lawyers on the case. “We’ll see where we can get.” When proceedings resumed, Rapp and Spacey’s team wore masks, as did the jury. Lisa Rocchio, a forensic psychologist who conducted an exam of Rapp and on October 12 started testifying about trauma, returned to the witness stand.
