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INDICATES SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT IS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES. >> THE CIVIL SUIT AGAINST KEVIN SPACEY WAS FILED JUST LAST WEEK , WITH THE ALLEGED VICTIM CLAIMING EXTREME EMOTIONAL DISTRESS BECAUSE HE SAYS SPACEY GROPED HIM IN A BAR ON NANTUCKET IN 2016. BUT NOW, THE YOUNG MAN HAS FILED NEW COURT PAPERS SAYING HE IS VOLUNTARILY DISMISSING THE CIVIL ACTION, BUT WITHOUT SAYING WHY. >> I THINK YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME THOUGHTFUL CONTEMPLATION BY THE FAMILY AND ATTORNEY. >> LEGAL EXPERT GREG HENNING SAYS THE DISMISSAL MIGHT SIGNAL THE ALLEGED VICTIM IS HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CIVIL CASE AND MAYBE ABOUT THE CRIMINAL CASE AS WELL. HE AND HIS FAMILY INCLUDING HIS MOTHER FORMER WCVB ANCHOR HEATHER UNRUH HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO TURN OVER A CELL PHONE CONSIDERED EVIDENCE IN THE CRIMINAL CASE BY MONDAY. IF NOT, THEY WILL LIKELY FACE INTENSE PUBLIC QUESTIONING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PHONE. HENNING SAYS THEY MIGHT NOT BE READY FOR THAT KIND OF SCRUTINY. >> SO IF THE ALLEGED VICTIM’S FAMILY WERE TO GO TO THE COMMONWEALTH AND SAY WE WANT THIS TO END FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ALLEGED VICTIM, I THINK THERE IS A CHANCE YOU SEE THE GOVERNMENT NOT PROCEEDING ON THE CASE ANY FURTHER. >> THE DECISION TO DROP THE CRIMINAL CASE WOULD BE UP TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL O’KEEFE. AND THIS AFTERNOON HIS OFFICE TOLD US THE CASE WILL GO FORWARD. BUT THE CIVIL SUIT DISMISSAL INCLUDED THE TERMS WITH PREJUDICE, WHICH MEANS IT CANNOT BE FILED AGAIN. AND SO SPACEY CAN NEVER BE ORDERED TO PAY DAMAGES. >> THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE BACKGROUND, LIKE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES, BUT IT IS TIMING. >> SO AT THIS POINT, THE HEARING ABOUT THE MISSING CELL PHONE IS STILL A GO, SCHEDULED FOR 10:00 ON MONDAY IN NANTUCKET DISTRICT A.M. COURT. LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM, DAVID BIENICK, WCVB NEWSCENTER 5. >> THANK YOU. COUNT ON NEWSCENTER 5 FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE

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The civil lawsuit targeting actor Kevin Spacey for an alleged sexual assault on Nantucket has been dropped. A court filing on behalf of the young man accusing Spacey of groping and assaulting him in 2016 says the suit is being dismissed "with prejudice." That means it cannot be refiled. "It's very possible that the victim and his family have concluded that this fight is one that's no longer worth it for their family," said WCVB legal analyst Greg Henning. A three year statute of limitations in the case would run out this week. The suit asked for a jury trial and damages for emotional distress and medical and other bills. Spacey is still facing criminal charges in the alleged assault and is due back in court on Monday. Spacey pleaded not guilty to that charge in January and his lawyers have called the accusations "patently false." The case came to light when former WCVB-TV anchor Heather Unruh said Spacey got her son drunk and then sexually assaulted him in July 2016 at the Club Car, a popular restaurant and bar on the island off Cape Cod.Unruh's son told police he wanted to get a picture with Spacey and went over to talk to him after his shift ended at the Club Car, where he worked as a busboy. The accuser said Spacey bought him several drinks and tried to persuade him to come home with him before unzipping the man's pants and groping him for about three minutes.The accuser told police that he tried to move Spacey's hands, but that the groping continued, and he didn't know what to do because he didn't want to get in trouble for drinking. The man said he fled when Spacey went to the bathroom.Recently the criminal case has been mired in arguments over the accuser's cellphone. A judge ordered it to be turned over to the defense, so Spacey's team could examine text messages related to the incident. The accuser's family, however, said the phone could not be located.When contacted by WCVB Friday, Unruh declined to comment on the developments.