this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2023
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[–] Lifecoach5000@lemmy.world 65 points 1 year ago (2 children)

“Trial by social media”

I dunno. He certainly didn’t help his cause there when he released that creepy vague cringe vid he did about the accusations in his House of Cards character.

[–] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 16 points 1 year ago

Testifying at your own trial is almost always a bad idea, even if it's a social media trial

[–] JGrffn@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

He did like 3 of those, one per year, consecutively

[–] harpuajim@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm still surprised how quickly this guy's 30 year career imploded. He went from a household name to basically non-existent in the span of a week. Can't say he didn't bring it upon himself but it's still surprising.

[–] dill@lemmy.one 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What's the public sentiment on this verdict going to be? I have not been following the case.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (7 children)

I think he was found not guilty. Anyone that continues to demonize him should probably step up with more information than came out at the trial before they open their mouths again and ruin a man's career.

I'm not sure where the first witch hunt came from, but I'd lay it at the feet of social media platforms like Reddit causing an echo chamber that drove it.

The fact that he was abandoned by the studios and the people he worked with said more about them than it does about him.

[–] MushuChupacabra@lemmy.world 36 points 1 year ago (5 children)

A verdict in a court of law is based on what is presented, not on what happened. This is what makes it possible for people to commit a crime, and get away with it (or get framed for something that they didn't do).

This is a question that I do not want you to answer here, but one to ponder:

If your son/nephew/younger was up for a part in a project that was directed by, and starring Kevin Spacey? What weight would you assign to that Not Guilty due to insufficient evidence verdict?

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[–] Taleya@aussie.zone 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Calling it a social media witchunt is a bit trite. A number of people came forward, detailing a history that spanned years. His claims that they were motivated 'by money' and painting it as 'aspiring actors' when we're talking a group that includes professionals with their own VERY well established careers also reeks of the rear end of the equine.

[–] Kichae@kbin.social 27 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, let's not confuse "not guilty" with "not a creepy old man". The bar for the state taking away your rights based on your activity is fairly high -- as it should be -- but not being able to produce sufficient evidence of acts that don't leave a whole lot of physical evidence behind doesn't make the accusations false.

It just makes them not enough.

And, I'm sorry to everyone out there who seem weirdly motivated to want to believe that accusers are overwhelmingly liars, but his hand-waving away of the accusations was not confidence inspiring.

[–] VivaceMoss@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Let's not forget that multiple accusers up and fucking died while waiting for their day in court, also.

Kinda hard to provide testimony that could have been compelling for the court when a number of key witnesses don't survive the trial.

[–] Taleya@aussie.zone 1 points 1 year ago

Multiple sources i've read indicate that Spacey seems to believe he can climb right back on top of the A-list again now this court case is over.

[–] boredtortoise@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It was around the qanon situation

And after Weinstein

Edit: just read the harassment stuff on Wikipedia.

I'm not sure if this trial tells anything about the whole truth with all that going on

[–] monobot@lemmy.ml -3 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Even the career is not important, whole life is ruined. Just imagine family and friends all ar least asking about it and some leaving you.

While I agree there should be severe and swift punishment for sexual offences, there should be some punishment for false accusations. I know that sometimes is just not prooved and sometimes it is in legally gray area, so not automatic, but if it can be prooven that someone was intentional lying - then there should be consequences.

[–] echo64@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

but if it can be prooven that someone was intentional lying - then there should be consequences.

this is already the case today. thank you for playing.

[–] jackfrost@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

While I agree there should be severe and swift punishment for sexual offences, there should be some punishment for false accusations. I know that sometimes is just not prooved and sometimes it is in legally gray area, so not automatic, but if it can be prooven that someone was intentional lying - then there should be consequences.

But we actually have pretty clearly defined legal systems for slander, libel and defamation?

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Unfortunately, in most cases, there's no real-world way to punish false accusation. The bar of proof for that sort of thing is, and should be, extraordinarily high. You pretty much have to have a confession.

Also, charging false accusers has a chilling effect on victims. Think how manipulative abusers are. "See what happened to that chick on the news? Go ahead, call the cops. You got nothin' you dumb bitch, 'cept maybe a future in a concrete and steel cage. Here's the phone, I'll dial for you."

[–] Syndic@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

While I agree there should be severe and swift punishment for sexual offences, there should be some punishment for false accusations.

What are you talking about? There are punishment for false accusations. But that of course has the very same legal requirements of proven beyong reasonable doubt as any other accusation.

And no, just because someone is not proven guilty doesn't mean that the accusation is false. It literally just means that, the court couldn't prove the accusation and so couldn't punish the accused.

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Even though I haven't been following the case, I'm quite surprised.

I wonder if Netflix will hire him to do an alternate ending for House Of Cards now that he's been found not guilty.

[–] Poob@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

You are still allowed to dislike innocent people. The law is not morality.

[–] Noughmad@programming.dev 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

He also wasn't found "innocent", but "not guilty".

There's a vast difference between that. Not guilty means that we can't prove he's guilty beyond reasonable doubt, not that we can prove that he's innocent.

It's still very likely he committed crimes, but we can't be sure enough to send him to jail.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Came here to say this! With all we've heard about the man, I'd say he's slam-dunk "not innocent". BUT, he was found not guilty as charged.

People really get up in arms because they don't know the difference. And it's not just some legal shenanigans, it's a real-world thing.

Another example is my sleezebag Congressman, Matt Gaetz. People act like he wasn't prosecuted due to being in Congress, money, whatever. No, he wasn't prosecuted due to lack of evidence and witness testimony.

Is he an innocent man? Fuck no. But that's not enough to lock him up. Given the nature of the case, I wouldn't have prosecuted either. About zero chance of a jury returning a guilty verdict. Pretty sad about it, I really hoped to see that man in orange.

[–] Simulation6@sopuli.xyz 0 points 1 year ago

I have never heard about an "innocent" verdict, is that really a thing?

[–] Syndic@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You are still allowed to dislike innocent people.

Just a small correction. Being not proven guilty doesn't proves innocence. It just means that the accusation couldn't be proven in court. That's the price we pay for our justice system which tries to keep wrong convictions as small as possible, quite a few guilty people will walk free.

And I think in this case a guilty person walks free.

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee -1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So you have insider knowledge that the public is not aware of?

[–] Toneswirly@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

where there's smoke, there is fire my friend

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So false accusations simply don´t exist in your world?

[–] Rom@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do you have proof these accusations were false? Remember, a not guilty verdict only means the evidence presented was insufficient for a conviction, and does not mean the accusations were not real.

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Correct - however, it also does not mean that the accusations are true.

[–] Rom@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But in the case the original user clearly stated it was their opinion, not a fact. Individuals are allowed to have opinions of another person's guilt, even if it differs from that of a jury.

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Sure and both are just opinions and not necessarily the truth.

[–] Syndic@feddit.de -2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No. But with these many accusations I really don't need that to make an educated guess.

And nothing prevents me from doing so since I can't do shit about that fucker beside not watching his movies.

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No. But with these many accusations I really don’t need that to make an educated guess.

So when a certain number of accusations against a person is reached that makes the accusations true? Funny logic ... so at what number of accusations do they magically turn from being just accusations to being the truth?

And nothing prevents me from doing so since I can’t do shit about that fucker beside not watching his movies.

You really think he gives a shit if you watch his movies? Cute but please keep in mind the dude is super fucking rich and his estimated worth is about 70.000.000$.

[–] Syndic@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago

So when a certain number of accusations against a person is reached that makes the accusations true?

No, but much more likely.

You really think he gives a shit if you watch his movies? Cute but please keep in mind the dude is super fucking rich and his estimated worth is about 70.000.000$.

Yes? That's my point!

[–] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

When Depp won against Heard, Reddit went full on circle jerk around Depp. Sure his ex was an abusive fuck, but that doesn't excuse Depp's horrendous actions and his general creepyness. Dude is 60 chasing after 20 year olds and complains when they're immature. His ex may have been worse than him, but he's still an abusive creep.

[–] FluffyPotato@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I'm not too invested in this so I could be wrong but wasn't there a news story just recently that like 3 people set to testify against him died mysteriously or something?

[–] dethb0y@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Will be interesting to see if his career rebounds after this or what.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

No chance, he's tainted goods. Maybe with the right social media spin, after a LONG time, he could come back.

Really sucks, loved his acting. Just watched American Beauty the other night and was able to see the actor and not the sins. But still, tell me Spacey is in a new movie, and guess what's top of mind?

[–] 001100010010@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 year ago

He confessed to being guilty!

https://youtu.be/QLf4rnJYUGk?t=34

/s

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