Bill Cosby ordered to pay nearly $20M for sexually assaulting woman in 1972
A California jury on Monday ordered Bill Cosby to pay $19.25 million to a woman who says the comedian drugged and sexually assaulted her after a show in 1972.
Donna Motsinger won the verdict after three days of deliberations. She is one of dozens of women who have publicly accused Cosby of sexual misconduct since allegations of his years of assault resurfaced in 2014.
The jury’s decision further sullied the reputation of the 88-year-old Cosby, once considered one of America’s most beloved entertainers. It was not immediately clear whether Cosby could pay the award to Motsinger; The New York Times reported he has previously said he has financial difficulties.
Monday’s verdict came eight years after a jury found him guilty of sexual assault and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Cosby was released three years later after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction, citing procedural issues. This was the second time since his release that he has been found liable for sexual assault in civil cases.
What does the latest lawsuit allege?
Motsinger’s lawsuit alleged Cosby attacked her after giving her wine and a pill that she said left her unresponsive. She said the attack happened when they were both in their 30s.
Motsinger testified that she met Cosby at the restaurant where she worked in Sausalito, California. As she was heading home, Cosby pulled up next to her in a limousine and asked if she would like to go to his nearby comedy show.
She said Cosby gave her a glass of wine while she was in the limo. Motsinger said she began to feel ill and told Cosby, who then gave her a pill she thought was aspirin. She said she was going in and out of consciousness, testifying that she only remembered being put into the limo by two men. Motsinger said when she awoke, she realized she had been raped.
“She woke up in her house with all her clothes off, except her underwear on — no top, no bra, and no pants,” her lawyers wrote in court papers. “She knew she had been drugged and raped by Bill Cosby.”
Cosby’s lawyers challenged Motsinger’s recollection of the night, arguing her claims were “based on nothing more than speculation and conjecture leaving no triable issues of material fact.”
During a deposition, Cosby said he remembered being in a limo with Motsinger and saying he had wanted to have sex with her. He said he couldn’t remember if they did. Cosby did not testify during the trial.
Cosby has denied all allegations against him, claiming all sexual contact with his accusers was consensual. His legal team has tried to depict Cosby as a man unfairly targeted by the #MeToo movement, according to The Times.
The #MeToo movement was instrumental in Cosby’s conviction. In the past, Motsinger and several other women who accused Cosby wouldn’t have been able to bring their cases to court because the statute of limitations had passed. However, states like California, Nevada and New York passed laws exempting sexual assault cases from the statute of limitations.
How have both parties reacted?
Cosby’s lawyers say they will appeal the decision, according to The Times.
“I was obviously disappointed in the decision, but we believe we have a strong appeal and we’ll pursue that,” Cosby’s lawyer Jennifer Bonjean said.
Motsinger spoke to the press at the courthouse following the ruling. She welcomed the decision and acknowledged the decades it took before she got any justice.
“It has been 54 years to get justice,” she said, “and I know it’s not complete for the rest of the women, but I hope it helps them a little bit.”
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
