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American actor Armie Hammer will not face charges of sexual assault, prosecutors have confirmed.
The Social Network star was charged two years ago with raping a woman in Los Angeles in 2017.
It was also alleged that the 36-year-old had sent a series of explicit messages on social media.
Hammer said he is “deeply grateful” to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s decision not to charge him.
The woman who accused the actor of rape, known as Effie, said she was “disappointed” with the decision not to prosecute him.
Hammer said he was looking forward to “the start of what will be a long, difficult process of getting my life back on track now that my name has been cleared”.
The actor, who also appeared in Call Me By Your Name, Rebecca and Death On The Nile, had denied all allegations against him.
On Wednesday, the prosecutor said prosecutors had conducted an “extremely thorough investigation” into the allegations, but there was “insufficient evidence” to charge Hammer.
‘Insufficient evidence’
Tiffiny Blacknell, director of the communications agency, said: “Sexual assault cases are often difficult to prove, so we assign our most experienced prosecutors to review them.
“In this case, those prosecutors have conducted an extremely thorough investigation, but determined that there is insufficient evidence at this time to charge Mr. Hammer with a crime.”
She continued: “As prosecutors, we have an ethical responsibility to only prosecute cases that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt. We know it’s hard for women to report sexual assault.
“Even if we cannot prosecute, our victim support representatives will be available to those seeking our victim support.
“Due to the complexity of the relationship and the inability to prove a non-consensual, forced sexual encounter, we cannot prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Following the announcement, Hammer wrote on Instagram: “I am deeply grateful to the District Attorney for conducting a thorough investigation and coming to the conclusion that I have maintained no crime has been committed all along.
“I look forward to embarking on what will be a long, difficult process of getting my life back on track now that my name has been cleared.”
In the caption, he added, “I want to say a very special thank you to all the people who have helped me through this time. Onwards and upwards.”
His accuser, known as Effie, told BBC News: “I am disappointed with the LA County District Attorney’s decision not to prosecute Armie Hammer.
“I felt obliged to speak out and report it. It cost me a lot to speak out
“Since I came forward, I have received death threats, rape threats, numerous assaults and horrific, incessant harassment.”
After the initial allegation controversy, Hammer quit his starring role opposite Jennifer Lopez in the comedy film Shotgun Wedding and was replaced by Josh Duhamel.
He was also replaced by Miles Teller in the TV series The Offer, a drama about the making of The Godfather.
Hammer married American TV personality Elizabeth Chambers in May 2010 and the couple have two children. The couple announced their divorce in 2020.
In September, a three-part Discovery+ series titled House Of Hammer, produced by the actor’s aunt Casey Hammer, featured on-camera interviews with two of Hammer’s alleged victims detailing some of their alleged abuses.
