Bill Cosby must pay $19.25 million after a jury found him liable for assaulting a former waitress decades ago.
A jury in Santa Monica, California, has ordered comedian Bill Cosby to pay $19.25 million in damages to Donna Motsinger, a former waitress, after determining he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1972.
Motsinger, now 84, alleged that Cosby invited her to one of his comedy shows and gave her a pill she believed was aspirin during the drive, which left her incapacitated.
In her lawsuit, Motsinger described waking up at home wearing only her underwear, with flashes of light as her last memory before losing consciousness, claiming she had been drugged and raped.
The Verdict and Cosby's Response
Cosby's legal team has denied the allegations, arguing that Motsinger admitted she has no clear recollection of the events. Cosby, 88, plans to appeal the Monday verdict, as stated by his lawyer Jennifer Bonjean.
This case adds to a series of civil lawsuits against Cosby, where dozens of women have accused him of similar misconduct dating back to the 1960s. He was previously released from prison in 2021 after his conviction in another case was overturned on a technicality.
Cosby's Background and Allegations
Cosby rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s with his sitcom "The Cosby Show," but his career suffered after multiple women came forward with claims of rape, sexual harassment, and misconduct, all of which he has maintained were consensual.
Motsinger worked as a waitress at a celebrity-frequented restaurant in Sausalito, near San Francisco, where she met Cosby. The jury in this case may still award additional punitive damages.
