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Jury rules Cosby must compensate former waitress
A California jury has ordered Bill Cosby to pay $19.25 million in damages to Donna Motsinger, a former waitress who accused the comedian of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 1972. The verdict was delivered in Santa Monica on Monday.
The incident in 1972
Motsinger, now 84, testified that Cosby picked her up in a limousine to take her to one of his comedy shows. She alleged he gave her wine and a pill she believed was aspirin, which left her incapacitated. According to court documents, she recalled flashes of light before losing consciousness and waking up at home partially clothed, believing she had been assaulted.
Motsinger worked at the Trident, a Sausalito restaurant frequented by celebrities, including Cosby. She filed the lawsuit detailing the alleged assault, which occurred over five decades ago.
Cosby's response and legal history
Cosby, 88, has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that all encounters were consensual. His lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, announced plans to appeal the verdict, calling the decision unjust. Cosby's legal team argued in court filings that Motsinger admitted she could not recall what happened during the alleged assault.
The comedian's reputation collapsed after dozens of women came forward with similar accusations of sexual misconduct, harassment, and assault spanning from the 1960s to the 2000s. In 2021, Cosby was released from a Pennsylvania prison after serving nearly three years of a sentence for sexual assault, following the overturning of his conviction on a technicality.
Next steps in the case
The jury may still award additional punitive damages in the coming days. Cosby's legal team has not commented on the BBC's requests for a statement regarding the verdict.
"Next thing she knew, she was going in and out of consciousness. The last thing Ms. Motsinger recalls were flashes of light."
Court documents, as reported by the Los Angeles Times
