A New York judge has ruled the lawsuit filed against the former 'House of Cards' star cannot go forward if the man identified only as C.D. chooses to remain anonymous.

AceShowbiz - A New York judge has ruled a sexual assault lawsuit filed against disgraced actor Kevin Spacey cannot go forward if the plaintiff chooses to remain anonymous.

A man only identified in legal papers as "C.D." joined forces with former child actor Anthony Rapp last September (2020) to take Spacey to court, with both alleged victims accusing the "House of Cards" star of abusive behaviour when they were both just 14.

However, on Monday, May 3, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan refused to allow the case to move forward if C.D. does not come forward with his full name.

The plaintiff, now in his 50s, has previously indicated he will withdraw from the legal action if forced to come out publicly, with his lawyers arguing doing so would trigger his post-traumatic stress disorder.

But the judge disagreed, noting the man has previously shared his side of the story with a number of media outlets, including in an article for Vulture in 2017, at the height of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.

"The evidence suggests that C.D. knowingly and repeatedly took the risk that any of these individuals at one point or another would reveal his true identity in a manner that would bring that identity to wide public attention, particularly given Spacey's celebrity," Kaplan wrote.

He also insisted shielding the identity of the plaintiff could impair Spacey's ability to defend himself, "C.D. has actively pursued this lawsuit - including by recruiting his co-plaintiff [Rapp]. He seeks $40 million in damages. He makes serious charges and, as a result, has put his credibility in issue [sic]."

In the suit, C.D. claimed Spacey took advantage of the then-teenager on a number of occasions in the early 1980s, and tried to have anal sex with him during their final encounter, when the male repeatedly resisted and said "no," reports Variety.

He is suing for assault and battery, and infliction of emotional distress.

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