The future of Anthony Rapp’s $40 million sexual misconduct trial against Kevin Spacey suddenly became very uncertain this morning.
Mere minutes after proceedings began today in the Manhattan federal courtroom of Judge Lewis A. Kaplan it was revealed that one of Oscar winner Spacey’s key defense lawyers Jennifer Keller has Covid-19.
Fellow defense attorney Chase Scolnick announced to Judge Kaplan that Keller tested positive this morning and has symptoms. The combative lawyer, who earlier this week relentlessly tore at Star Trek; Discovery actor Rapp’s assertions that Spacey fondled and trapped the then 14-year-old back in 1986 on the defendant’s bed without his consent at a theatre party, was not in the courtroom today.
As the news was made public, the 63-year old Spacey himself immediately put a mask on while seated at the defense table.
Judge Kaplan, citing courthouse Covid protocols, ruled that all 12 jurors and 10 people in the courtroom, including all of the defense team, their first row of supporters in the gallery and at least one Rapp lawyer, Robert Steigman, will have to get two rounds of tests on Sunday and Tuesday. “First focus is on the jury and on trying to save the trial if we can,” said the District Judge sternly
Everybody who was exposed to Keller at close range they are fully vaxxed. But several asked for test kits. And everyone who has to get tested must now also be masked.
Meantime, the trial will continue – “at least provisionally,” Judge Kaplan said, before calling for a short break.
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Sean Piccoli contributed to this report