Actor Bill Cosby, 88, has been ordered to pay almost $60 million in damages to a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her in 1972, a Southern California jury ruled on Monday.
The civil case was brought by Donna Motsinger in 2023 under a California law allowing certain decades-old sexual abuse claims to proceed. The former waitress alleged that Cosby followed her home from work, invited her into his limousine, and gave her a pill he identified as aspirin. She said she began to lose consciousness after taking the pill and awoke nearly naked at her home, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-sued-bill-cosby-sexual-battery-awarded-192-million-rcna264800">NBC News</a>.
“She woke up in her house with all her clothes off, except her underwear on — no top, no bra, and no pants. She knew she had been drugged and raped by Bill Cosby,” the lawsuit alleged.
&#8220;This verdict is not just about me — it’s about finally being heard and holding Mr. Cosby accountable,&#8221; Motsinger said in a statement via her lawyers. “I have carried the weight of what happened to me for more than 50 years. It never goes away. Today, a jury saw the truth and held him accountable.&#8221; 
Cosby has denied the allegations and plans to appeal the verdict, his attorneys said.
The case is one of several civil lawsuits filed against the formerly beloved star of “The Cosby Show” in recent years.  Dozens of women have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-cosby-found-liable-for-sexual-battery">accused Cosby</a> of harassment, rape, and sexual misconduct, though many claims were previously barred by statutes of limitations. 
Cosby was convicted in 2018 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand. However, his conviction was overturned in 2021 by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, leading to his release after nearly three years in prison.
In 2022, a Los Angeles jury found Cosby liable for sexually assaulting Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion in the 1970s and awarded her $500,000 in damages. Additional lawsuits in Nevada remain pending.
Cosby has consistently denied all allegations against him.

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby May Be Out Of Prison But A Decades-Old Case Just Came Roaring Back

Celebrities

Entertainment

Lawsuit

Sexual Assault

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, most known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, died on Sunday at 54 during a family vacation in Costa Rica.
Warner was swimming at a beach in Cocles de Limón when a current pulled him into deeper waters, and he drowned, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department stated, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/malcolm-jamal-warner-dead-drowning-costa-rica/">per</a> CBS News.
&#8220;He was rescued by people on the beach,&#8221; according to an initial report, but first responders were unable to revive him.
The Costa Rican National Police reported asphyxia as the official cause of death, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/malcolm-jamal-warner-former-cosby-show-star-dead/story?id=123932998">reported</a>.
Warner is most known for playing Theo on &#8220;The Cosby Show,&#8221; a sitcom that aired from 1984-1992 and centered around the Huxtables, an upper-middle-class black American family living in Brooklyn, New York. He was nominated for an Emmy in 1986 for his role as supporting actor in the series.
The show’s reputation was tainted after Bill Cosby, who played Cliff Huxtable, the father, and also co-produced the show, was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault.
Despite this, Warner told <a href="https://people.com/malcolm-jamal-warner-cosby-show-dead-54-11775980">People</a> in 2023 that he is still proud of his work: &#8220;Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now, I&#8217;m still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on — first and foremost, Black culture — but also American culture,&#8221; Warner said.
Speaking of his fellow cast members, he said that &#8220;We share a unique experience that keeps us lovingly bonded no matter how much time goes between seeing or hearing from each other.”
Warner paired up with comedian Eddie Griffin to produce his own sitcom &#8220;Malcolm and Eddie,&#8221; which lasted from 1996 to 2000. More recently, he starred as Chuck Cooper in &#8220;Major Crimes,&#8221; as Julius Rowe in &#8220;Suits,&#8221; and as AJ Austin in &#8220;The Resident.&#8221;
His latest venture was a podcast he launched in 2024 alongside cohosts Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley titled Not All Hood, discussing cultural trends and issues relevant to Black Americans.
“It&#8217;s been an interesting experience for me, because it&#8217;s a place where I feel safe enough to be able to be as vulnerable as I allow myself to be,” he told PEOPLE.
Fans are paying tribute on social media. “That man gave us one of the greatest scenes in the history of television. I cannot even believe this. I am over here SOBBING! Rest in poetry, Malcolm Jamal Warner,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/PettyLupone/status/1947351205086204408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">posted</a>.
“RIP to the great Malcolm Jamal Warner, my generation grew up on him,” another <a href="https://x.com/Finalbossjimmy/status/1947349396519018870">said</a>.
Warner is survived by his wife and daughter.

2nd Annual Living Legends Gala

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Star on ‘The Cosby Show,’ Dies at 54

Malcolm Jamal Warner, Star on The Cosby Show, Dies at 54

Television

Despite two new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sexual-abuse">sexual assault</a> and abuse lawsuits, comedian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-cosby">Bill Cosby</a> said he’s considering going on tour again starting next year. 
The 85-year-old actor made the comments during an appearance on Ohio&#8217;s WGH Talk radio station on Wednesday. Cosby said he wanted to begin a new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/comedy">comedy</a> tour starting in 2023. 
&#8220;Yes, because there&#8217;s so much fun to be had in this storytelling that I do,&#8221; Cosby said of his tour plans. &#8220;When I come out of this, I feel that I will be able to perform and be the Bill Cosby that my audience knows me to be.&#8221;
The actor’s publicist Andrew Wyatt confirmed this information to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bill-cosby-return-to-touring-2023-1235288267/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “We&#8217;re looking at getting back out here around Spring/Summer of 2023,&#8221; he told the publication.
The news comes after a slew of legal battles for the star of “The Cosby Show.” In 2014, more than 50 women came forward with sexual assault allegations against Cosby. The next year he was charged with the assault of Andrea Constand, a former director of operations for Temple University&#8217;s women&#8217;s basketball team. The actor was found guilty and sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, but was later released in 2021 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction citing an unfair violation of due process.
In March 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it would not review Cosby’s sexual assault case.
Most recently, “Cosby Show” actresses Lili Bernard and Eden Tirl and others, including Jewel Gittens, Jennifer Thompson, and Cindra Ladd, accused Cosby again of assault, battery, and infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment. They had filed allegations previously but are now introducing a new civil suit filed under New York&#8217;s Adult Survivors Act, which gives survivors of sexual abuse a one-year window to sue even if the statute of limitations on their allegations has expired, per <a href="https://ew.com/celebrity/bill-cosby-wants-to-return-to-touring-in-2023-despite-new-sexual-assault-allegations/">Entertainment Weekly</a>. 
Cosby denied these new allegations in a statement. Per EW, he said, &#8220;As we have always stated, and now America can see, this isn&#8217;t about justice for victims of alleged sexual assault; it&#8217;s ALL ABOUT MONEY. We believe that the courts, as well as the court of public opinion, will follow the rules of law and relieve Mr. Cosby of these alleged accusations. Mr. Cosby continues to vehemently deny all allegations waged against him and looks forward to defending himself in court.&#8221;
Cosby last went on tour in 2015. At the time, the comedian faced protests and was forced to cancel shows as multiple women came forward and accused the actor of sexual crimes.

Sentence Announced In Bill Cosby Trial

Bill Cosby Considers Comedy Tour Following Overturned Sexual Assault Conviction

comedian

U.S.

Five women filed a lawsuit against actor and comedian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-cosby" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Cosby</a> in New York court on Monday regarding accusations of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sexual-assault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sexual assault</a>.
The lawsuit by actresses Lili Bernard and Eden Tirl, as well as Jewel Gittens, Jennifer Thompson, and Cindra Ladd names Cosby and media companies NBC Universal Media, Kaufman Astoria Studios, and The Carsey-Werner Company.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_71E4E73E-71A8-2551-4FC9-E7C9111A52B3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">“Each plaintiff was sexually assaulted and battered by defendant Bill Cosby in the same or similar manner when he used his power, fame, and prestige, including the power, fame and prestige given to him by [the] defendants … to misuse his enormous power in such a nefarious, horrific way,” the suit <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/06/entertainment/bill-cosby-lawsuit-ny/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reads</a>.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">“Now, these five Plaintiffs have come forward to stand up for themselves and others, after they were sexually abused and assaulted by Bill Cosby,&#8221; it added.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off"><a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">Four of the allegations relate to alleged rape or sexual acts during the 1980s or 1990s when &#8220;The Cosby Show&#8221; aired on NBC. The fifth allegation accuses Cosby of raping Ladd in 1969.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">Bernard, one of the women bringing the lawsuit against Cosby, was a guest actress on &#8220;The Cosby Show,” and first accused the actor in 2015. She would later file a lawsuit against Cosby in 2021.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">The legal suit was filed under New York&#8217;s <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-adult-survivors-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adult Survivors Act</a>, a new law that allows a one-year lookback for accusers to file civil claims of sexual assault, regardless of the statute of limitations. The new law took effect on November 24, six months after Governor Kathy Hochul signed it.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">&#8220;The fight against sexual assault requires us to recognize the impact of trauma within our justice system,&#8221; Hochul said when signing the legislation. &#8220;I am proud to sign this legislation, which is part of our collective responsibility to protect one another and create an environment that makes survivors feel safe.&#8221;
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt blasted the effort as a &#8220;frivolous&#8221; lawsuit.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">“As we have always stated, and now America can see, this isn’t about justice for victims of alleged sexual assault, it’s ALL ABOUT MONEY,” Wyatt <a href="https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/bill-cosby-sexual-assault-lawsuit-new-york-1235451695/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We believe that the courts, as well as the court of public opinion, will follow the rules of law and relieve Mr. Cosby of these alleged accusations. Mr. Cosby continues to vehemently deny all allegations waged against him and looks forward to defending himself in court.”
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_2D6969EF-AED5-11E0-74C8-E7C9CDA311D3@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-cosby-found-liable-for-sexual-battery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Cosby faced a civil suit in July. A Los Angeles jury found Cosby liable and awarded his accuser $500,000 in damages.
Judy Huth, now 64, had accused Cosby of sexually abusing her nearly 50 years ago when Cosby was in his mid-30s. Huth first filed suit seven years ago.
Last year, Cosby’s conviction after he was found guilty of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand was <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-06-30/explainer-why-bill-cosbys-conviction-was-overturned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thrown out</a> and he was released from prison, where he had been incarcerated since 2018.

Bill Cosby Sued By Five Women For Sexual Assault Under New State Law

Crime

In the first case by a woman accusing Bill Cosby of sexual abuse to make it to trial, a Los Angeles jury found Cosby liable and awarded his accuser $500,000 in damages.
Judy Huth, now 64, had accused Cosby of sexually abusing her nearly 50 years ago, when Cosby was in his mid-30s. Huth first filed suit seven years ago.
“It&#8217;s been torture,”  Huth noted, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/06/21/1106649975/civil-jury-finds-bill-cosby-sexually-abused-teenager-in-1975">according</a> to NPR. “To be ripped apart, you know, thrown under the bus and backed over. This, to me, is such a big victory.”
“I was elated,” she <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/21/entertainment/bill-cosby-civil-case/index.html">added</a>, per CNN. “It has been so many years, so many tears.”
Huth had accused Cosby of giving her liquor and taking her and her friend Donna Samuelson to the Playboy Mansion in 1975 after she and Samuelson had met him previously on a film set. Huth claimed Cosby tried to shove his hand down her pants but was dissuaded when she told him she was having her period.
“I was trying to deflect,&#8221; she said, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/verdict-reached-civil-trial-bill-cosby-woman-said-sexually-assaulted-1-rcna33954">reported</a> NBC News. &#8220;But he didn&#8217;t stop. I just closed my eyes. &#8230; It was so fast. Maybe five minutes. Quick.”
Instead, she said, he took her hand and made her masturbate him, The Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-06-21/bill-cosby-verdict-judy-huth-civil-trial">reported</a>.
Huth claimed that Cosby told her and Samuelson, “That if any of the Playboy bunnies asked their age, they should say they were 19,&#8221; according to CNN.
Huth said she did not tell anyone about the alleged incident until she saw other women accuse Cosby and after her son’s 15th birthday. “I went back to being irritable,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10939805/Jurors-reach-verdict-Bill-Cosby-sex-abuse-case-1975.html">recalled</a>, per the Daily Mail. “I went back to blaming myself. I became a loner.”
“Jurors determined Cosby intentionally caused harmful sexual contact with Huth, that he reasonably believed she was under 18, and that his conduct was driven by unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in a minor,” the Daily Mail added.
Last year, Cosby’s conviction after he was found guilty of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand was <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-06-30/explainer-why-bill-cosbys-conviction-was-overturned">thrown out</a> and he was released from prison, where he had been incarcerated since 2018.
In April 2019, Cosby’s insurance company, American International Group (A.I.G.), settled a sexual battery lawsuit filed against him by Chloe Goins. Cosby, who was still in prison, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/arts/bill-cosby-lawsuit-settlement.html">bitterly denounced</a> the decision as “unauthorized,” adding, &#8220;A.I.G. continues to act egregiously by settling these heinous claims without my knowledge and/or consent,&#8221; according to The New York Times.
Cosby, who had been a policyholder with A.I.G. for over 20 years, told other policyholders to “drop this pathetic insurance company quickly.”

Bill Cosby Found Liable For Sexual Battery

Sexual Misconduct

Comedian and actor Bill Cosby will face sex abuse allegations in court on Wednesday as another alleged victim has come forward to reveal misconduct claims.
Cosby pleaded not guilty in the civil trial involving 64-year-old Judy Huth. She has accused the actor of forcing her to perform a sex act while at the Playboy Mansion when she was 16-years-old in 1975.
&#8220;Cosby’s attorneys have conceded that he met Huth and took her to the Playboy Mansion. An undated photo of the two of them there shows as much. But they thoroughly deny that any assault took place,&#8221; the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-sex-assault-trial-california-4c6d629714f73ef8685aeaf2e49c8a27" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;And they say that Huth was actually 18 when the mansion visit occurred, which would make any violation significantly less serious under California law,&#8221; the report added.
The case is one of the final remaining legal cases Cosby faces in the actor&#8217;s long-time battle regarding multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Nearly 60 people, according to the Los Angeles Times, have accused the comedian of various sexual crimes.
The allegations were first made public in 2014, though the case faced multiple setbacks regarding the statute of limitations for reporting abuse.
The Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-05-25/bill-cosby-judy-huth-child-sexual-assault-allegations-playboy-mansion-what-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that, &#8220;Huth said that after she used the bathroom, she opened the door to find Cosby sitting on the bed. She alleged he then tried to put his hand down her pants, and grabbed her hand and made her perform a sexual act on him.&#8221;
In March, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case after an appeal concerning Cosby’s overturned conviction in 2021 involving a previous sexual assault conviction, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-rejects-appeal-for-overturned-conviction-in-bill-cosby-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The ruling left in place a 4-3 decision by Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court that Cosby’s 2018 conviction violated his due process rights. Cosby was released in June following the overturned decision.
In November, Montgomery County’s district attorney appealed the Pennsylvania ruling to the Supreme Court.
Cosby’s publicist, Andrew Wyatt, released a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/07/politics/supreme-court-bill-cosby/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on behalf of Cosby’s family following the decision.
“Mr. Cosby’s Constitutional Rights were a ‘reprehensible bait and switch’ by Kevin Steele, Judge Steve T. O’Neill and their cohorts,” Wyatt said.
“This is truly a victory for Mr. Cosby but it shows that cheating will never get you far in life and the corruption that lies within Montgomery County District’s Attorney Office has been brought to the center stage of the world,&#8221; he added.
Cosby spent nearly three years in prison before the case was overturned.
In the current case, Cosby is not expected to testify, according to the AP&#8217;s <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/bill-cosby-sexual-abuse-allegations-trial/2022/06/01/id/1072424/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>.
&#8220;Cosby&#8217;s representatives say glaucoma has left him blind and made travel too difficult,&#8221; according to the report, with the case being held in Santa Monica, California.
If found guilty, the civil case will not result in Cosby serving jail time. Cosby could instead be found liable for damages if a guilty verdict is determined.

Bill Cosby Headed To Court Again To Face Sexual Abuse Charges In Civil Trial

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday against an appeal concerning Bill Cosby&#8217;s overturned conviction in 2021 involving a sexual assault conviction.
The decision left in place a 4-3 ruling by Pennsylvania&#8217;s Supreme Court that ruled Cosby&#8217;s 2018 conviction violated his due process rights. Cosby was released in June following the overturned decision.
The Pennsylvania ruling was appealed to the Supreme Court in November by Montgomery County&#8217;s district attorney regarding a case reaching back to 2005.
The <a href="https://www.montcopa.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5484" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeal</a> to the Supreme Court emphasized the due process clause: &#8220;Where a prosecutor publicly announces that he will not file criminal charges based on lack of evidence, does the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment transform that announcement into a binding promise that no charges will ever be filed, a promise that the target may rely on as if it were a grant of immunity?&#8221;
Cosby&#8217;s publicist Andrew Wyatt released a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/07/politics/supreme-court-bill-cosby/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on behalf of Coby&#8217;s family following the decision on Monday.
&#8220;Mr. Cosby&#8217;s Constitutional Rights were a &#8216;reprehensible bait and switch&#8217; by Kevin Steele, Judge Steve T. O&#8217;Neill and their cohorts,&#8221; Wyatt said. &#8220;This is truly a victory for Mr. Cosby but it shows that cheating will never get you far in life and the corruption that lies within Montgomery County District&#8217;s Attorney Office has been brought to the center stage of the world.&#8221;
Jennifer Bonjean, a lawyer for Cosby, had previously <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/21/21-793/211814/20220131135614198_Cosby%20BIO%20Main%20E%20FILE%20Jan%2031%2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> the court in January not to revive the case.
“Under the unique facts of the case, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court concluded that [the former district attorney] had made an unconditional promise of non-prosecution, and that Cosby had relied on that promise to his detriment, namely foregoing his Fifth Amendment guarantees and testifying at four days of depositions, and that as a matter of fundamental fairness, the promise should be enforced,” she said.
Cosby, now 84, spent nearly three years in prison prior to the overturned verdict.
“The 84-year-old Cosby became the first celebrity convicted of sexual assault in the #MeToo era when a jury in 2018 found him guilty of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004. A jury had previously deadlocked in Cosby’s case, resulting in a mistrial in 2017,” CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/07/us-supreme-court-wont-review-decision-freeing-cosby-from-prison.html">noted</a>.
Following his release in June 2021, Cosby reportedly refused to accept responsibility for the 2004 incident. The Daily Wire previously reported:
<blockquote>The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-conviction-overturned-5c073fb64bc5df4d7b99ee7fadddbe5a?utm_medium=ap&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow&amp;utm_source=twitter">Associated Press reports</a> that Pennsylvania’s highest court dismissed Cosby’s conviction “after finding an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented [Cosby] from being charged in the case.
“The trial judge had allowed just one other accuser to testify at Cosby’s first trial when the jury deadlocked. However, he then allowed five other accusers to testify at the retrial about their experiences with Cosby in the 1980s,” the AP reported. “The Pennsylvania Supreme Court said that testimony tainted the trial, even though a lower appeals court had found it appropriate to show a signature pattern of drugging and molesting women.”
Cosby, the outlet added, has refused to take responsibility for the 2004 incident and had “vowed to serve all 10 years rather than acknowledge any remorse.”</blockquote>

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal For Overturned Conviction In Bill Cosby Case

Supreme Court

Bill Cosby’s case could be taken up by the Supreme Court.
The former actor and comedian — who has been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/30/arts/television/bill-cosby-release-conviction.html">accused</a> of sexual assault by over 50 women — was <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/bill-cosbys-sex-assault-conviction-overturned-by-court">released</a> from prison earlier this year after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction, citing a due process violation. Prosecutors now want the case to rise to the Supreme Court.
According to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/bill-cosby-prosecutors-case-us-high-court-81453218">ABC News</a>:
<blockquote>Prosecutors asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling that overturned Bill Cosby’s conviction, arguing in a petition Monday that a decision announced in a press release does not give a defendant lifetime immunity.
Prosecutors said the ruling could set a dangerous precedent if convictions are overturned over dubious closed-door deals. They have also complained that the chief judge of the state’s high court appeared to misstate key facts of the case when he discussed the court ruling that overturned Cosby’s conviction in a television interview.</blockquote>
“This decision as it stands will have far-reaching negative consequences beyond Montgomery County and Pennsylvania. The U.S. Supreme Court can right what we believe is a grievous wrong,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele wrote in the petition.
ABC noted that the Supreme Court accepts less than 1% of petitions; however, the Cosby case is extraordinarily high-profile and the first to emerge during the #MeToo movement.
In a 2019 interview, Cosby <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-cosby-breaks-silence-gives-first-prison-interview-no-remorse">said</a> that he has no “remorse” for his actions.
“I have eight years and nine months left,” Cosby told National Newspaper Publishers Association’s BlackPressUSA.com. “When I come up for parole, they’re not going to hear me say that I have remorse. I was there. I don’t care what group of people come along and talk about this when they weren’t there. They don’t know.”
“It’s all a set up. That whole jury thing. They were imposters,” he argued, pointing to “the woman who blew the whistle” — the potential juror who said she overheard another juror state before the trial began that Cosby is guilty.
“Then she went in and came out smiling, it’s something attorneys will tell you is called a payoff,” Cosby continued. “I know what they’ve done to my people. But my people are going to view me and say, ‘that boy looks good. That boy is strong.’ I have too many heroes that I’ve sat with. Too many heroes whom I listened to like John Henrik Clarke, Kenneth Clark, and Dorothy Height. Those people are very strong, and they saw the rejection of their people. This is political. I can see the whole thing.”
Following Cosby’s release, actress and Cosby co-star Phylicia Rashad faced <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/finally-a-terrible-wrong-is-being-righted-actress-phylicia-rashad-in-hot-water-after-celebrating-bill-cosby-release">backlash</a> for tweeting, “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted — a miscarriage of justice is corrected!”
Rashad later deleted the tweet and scaled-down her support with another post. “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.”

Cosby Sexual Assault Case May Be Headed To Supreme Court

Convicted sex criminal Bill Cosby thinks convicted pedophile R. Kelly “got railroaded” in his sex-trafficking trial, according to the comedian&#8217;s spokesman.
Cosby, whose conviction was overturned earlier this year, believes the singer “was screwed” and that “he wasn’t going to catch a break,” according to his spokesman, Andrew Wyatt.
Wyatt shared Cosby’s thoughts in an <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/09/28/bill-cosby-feels-r-kelly-got-railroaded-at-sex-trafficking-trial/?utm_source=sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=news_alert&amp;utm_content=20210929&amp;utm_term=NYP%20-%20News%20Alerts">interview</a> with the New York Post, where he said Kelly had no chance as he raged against the musician’s defense team.
“The deck was stacked against Robert,” said Wyatt. “His constitutional rights were grossly abused. I don’t know anywhere but in this country in the United States that a documentary can bring criminal charges against someone.”
“No one fought hard for him,” and his attorneys didn’t “humanize him,” Wyatt said.
“He also didn’t have the resources and means, he should have asked for support from the court. He would have gotten better representation,” added Wyatt.
“This is a guy who made the song ‘I believe I can fly’ when there were rumors about young girls. The song played at every wedding and in every church. He was doing music with Lady Gaga!” said Wyatt.
A federal court jury in New York on Monday found Kelly guilty of charges including sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, racketeering, and sex trafficking involving five victims. Kelly faces a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
Fourteen alleged underlying acts were associated with the racketeering charge. The jury found that the government had proved 12 of those acts, which involved five victims: the singer Aaliyah as well as women named Stephanie, Jerhonda Pace, Jane and Faith,&#8221; NPR <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/27/1040528011/r-kelly-verdict-guilty-racketeering-sex-trafficking">reported</a>. &#8220;Two acts associated with an alleged victim named Sonja were not proved. (Most alleged victims went by their first names or pseudonyms.) The government needed proof of only two of the racketeering acts for a guilty charge.&#8221;
Several accusers testified in lurid detail during the trial, alleging that Kelly subjected them to perverse and sadistic whims when they were underage.
For more than two decades, allegations of inappropriate relationships with minors swirled, starting with Kelly’s illegal marriage to the R&amp;B phenom Aaliyah in 1994 when she was just 15.
One of Kelly’s lawyers, Deveraux Cannick, said he was disappointed and hoped to appeal. &#8220;I think I’m even more disappointed the government brought the case in the first place, given all the inconsistencies,” Cannick said.
Cosby, meanwhile, was convicted in April 2018 of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand. But the 84-year-old served just 2.5 years behind bars before his conviction was unexpectedly overturned in July and he was set free.
“When an unconditional charging decision is made publicly and with the intent to induce action and reliance by the defendant, and when the defendant does so to his detriment (and in some instances upon the advice of counsel), denying the defendant the benefit of that decision is an affront to fundamental fairness, particularly when it results in a criminal prosecution that was foregone for more than a decade,” the court said in its ruling.
More than 60 women accused Cosby of sexual misconduct or rape, but none of those other claims resulted in criminal charges.

Retrial Of Bill Cosby Underway For Sexual Assault Charges

Bill Cosby Thinks R. Kelly ‘Got Railroaded’ At Sex-Trafficking Trial

Bill Cosby’s team has signaled that the disgraced comedian is <a href="https://movieweb.com/bill-cosby-new-comedy-tour/">planning</a> to revive his stand-up career now that he is out of prison. But Noam Dworman, owner of New York City’s famed Comedy Cellar, says Cosby won’t be mounting a comeback in his club.
The Greenwich neighborhood venue, which has played host to everyone from Robin Williams to Jerry Seinfeld to Chris Rock, has developed a reputation as a starting point for comedians looking to reboot their careers after a scandal.
In 2018, it welcomed Aziz Ansari and Louis C.K. to perform after both comedians were accused of sexual misconduct.  The C.K. set, in particular, led to a barrage of negative press for Dworman, who received death threats in the wake of the event.
Comedy fans were clearly happy to see C.K., who received a standing ovation, but many legacy media outlets slammed the club for the decision.
“‘Comeback’ is not the right word for what is being floated here,” Amanda Hess wrote in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/30/arts/television/louis-ck-returns-metoo.html">The New York Times</a>, adding, “A comeback implies a hero’s journey — an adventure, a transformation, a triumphant return. This feels more like a malignancy. We try to cut men like him out of public life, but nine months later, we get a call with the bad news.”
And Arwa Mahdawi said in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/01/louis-ck-comeback-show-metoo-abuse-of-power">the Guardian</a>, “Do people deserve second chances? Of course. But the more important question to ask is why some people get second, third, and fourth chances, while others are never even afforded a first chance? We should be asking ourselves how C.K.’s abuse of power robbed his victims of professional opportunities. We should be reminding ourselves that C.K. is not the victim in this situation.”
In response to the backlash, Dworman stood firm, arguing that it is not his job to decide who gets to continue their career, it’s the audience’s.
“I believe that the man is entitled to his livelihood and that it’s up to the audience to go or not go. I believe that in principle,” he told <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/comedy-cellar-owner-discusses-surprise-louis-ck-performance-1138109/">The Hollywood Reporter</a> of C.K. at the time. He also pointed out that Bill Clinton and Mike Tyson still have careers, saying, “There is the matter of principle here, in my ACLU mode, which is that I don’t feel that there’s a clear standard out there in the world of when someone is supposed to be fired or denied an audience. And I don’t think anyone’s come after the theaters and stages that allow Mike Tyson to tour the country with his show, and Bill Clinton is still invited to charity events … I would just like to be a platform.”
But while the club owner said he “doesn’t know what the standard is” when it comes to booking a disgraced act, he knows it doesn’t allow for convicted sex offenders, even if their convictions have been overturned.
“Comparing Bill Cosby to these other guys is absurd,” Dworman told the <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/07/11/bill-cosby-not-welcome-at-nycs-famed-comedy-cellar-owner/">New York Post</a> on Sunday, pointing out that C.K. and Ansari had never been charged with crimes. “I just think these comparisons are ridiculous,” he added.
Cosby’s spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, told TMZ his client isn’t bothered by the Comedy Cellar ban. “That’s one club owner, and in the words of the King of R&amp;B Bobby Brown, ‘It’s his prerogative to do what he wants to do,’” Wyatt said
A previous version of this article erroneously stated that Louis C.K. received a 15-minute standing ovation. This claim has been removed.

Bill Cosby Released From Prison

NYC Comedy Club that Welcomed Louis C.K. After Scandal Says ‘No’ to Cosby Appearance

Actor Bill Cosby said in a statement this week that the mainstream media are the &#8220;real insurrectionists&#8221; trying to &#8220;demolish the Constitution.&#8221;
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/241084">The Daily Wire</a> highlighted last Wednesday, a Pennsylvania Appellate Court overturned Cosby’s 2018 sex assault conviction, allowing the actor to walk free after serving just two years of a 3-10 year sentence stemming from an incident in 2004.
Dozens of other women have accused Cosby of harassment, rape, and sexual misconduct over the years, though he has always denied the accusations.
Through a spokesman, Cosby implored Howard University to defend the &#8220;Freedom of Speech&#8221; of “Cosby Show” actress Phylicia Rashad, who publicly rejoiced when news hit that Cosby would be released.
“Howard University you must support ones [sic] Freedom of Speech (Ms. Rashad), which is taught or suppose [sic] to be taught everyday at that renowned law school, which resides on your campus,” read the statement, put out by longtime Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt, Deadline <a href="https://deadline.com/2021/07/bill-cosby-blames-media-howard-university-phylicia-rashad-capitol-attack-1234786127/">reported</a>.
“This [sic] mainstream media are the Insurrectionists, who stormed the Capitol,&#8221; Cosby&#8217;s statement continued. &#8220;Those same Media Insurrectionists are trying to demolish the Constitution of these United State [sic] of America on this Independence Day.&#8221;
&#8220;No technicality — it’s a violation of ones [sic] rights &amp; we the people stand in support of Ms. Phylicia Rashad,&#8221; the statement added.
Rashad tweeted in relation to Cosby, “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted — a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/finally-a-terrible-wrong-is-being-righted-actress-phylicia-rashad-in-hot-water-after-celebrating-bill-cosby-release">The Daily Wire</a> reported on the fallout:
<blockquote>Rashad later deleted the tweet and tempered her initial support with a new <a href="https://twitter.com/PhyliciaRashad/status/1410336268995776518?s=20">post</a>, saying, “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.” But she notably did not disavow her initial statement.
This put Howard University, which recently hired Rashad as Dean of Fine Arts, in an awkward position. The school quickly issued a statement distancing itself from Rashad’s views. “Survivors of sexual assault will always be our first priority,” the school said in an Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQxLAM-oBBh/">post</a>. “While Dean Rashad has acknowledged in her follow-up tweet that victims must be heard and believed, her initial tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault.” Howard also said personal positions of University leadership do not reflect its policies.
In a <a href="https://twitter.com/ConstandAndrea/status/1410347835086811139?s=20">statement</a> posted on Twitter, Constand expressed her disappointment with the Court’s decision, saying it may “discourage those who seek justice for sexual assault in the criminal justice system from reporting or participating in the prosecution of the assailant or may force a victim to choose between filing either a criminal or civil action.”
“On the one hand, the Court acknowledged that the former District Attorney’s decision not to prosecute Mr. Cosby was not a formal agreement and constituted at best a unilateral exercise of prosecutorial discretion not to prosecute at the time,” she went on. “The Court also acknowledged that it agreed with the lower court’s credibility determinations, but nevertheless precluded a future prosecution, which included additional evidence developed in the civil case.”</blockquote>
The Daily Wire&#8217;s editor emeritus and podcast host Ben Shapiro offered some legal insight concerning Cosby&#8217;s release from prison last week. Shapiro emphasized that while Cosby &#8220;on a moral level&#8221; deserves to be in jail, his release is legally justified, particularly since we want defendants to trust prosecutors. Shapiro explained that Cosby&#8217;s due process was violated; he testified in a civil trial after he was told by prosecution that he would not be potentially incriminating himself since there would be no criminal case. That promise was broken when Cosby was criminally indicted.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Shapiro REACTS To Cosby Going FREE" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mKnBfiLhnVM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/241084">Pennsylvania Court Overturns Bill Cosby Sex Assault Conviction, Actor To Leave Prison</a>

Released Bill Cosby Says ‘Media Insurrectionists Are Trying To Demolish The Constitution’

Immediately following news of her long-time co-star’s release from prison, “Cosby Show” actress Phylicia Rashad tweeted, “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted — a miscarriage of justice is corrected!&#8221;
As the Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/241084">reported</a> Wednesday, a Pennsylvania court overturned Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction, allowing the actor to go free after serving nearly three years of a 3-10 year sentence for drugging and sexually assaulting Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his Pennsylvania estate in 2004.
Approximately 60 other women have accused Cosby of harassment, rape, and sexual misconduct over the years. Cosby has always denied the allegations.
Rashad later deleted the tweet and tempered her initial support with a new <a href="https://twitter.com/PhyliciaRashad/status/1410336268995776518?s=20">post</a>, saying, “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.” But she notably did not disavow her initial statement.
This put Howard University, which recently hired Rashad as Dean of Fine Arts, in an awkward position. The school quickly issued a statement distancing itself from Rashad’s views. &#8220;Survivors of sexual assault will always be our first priority,&#8221; the school said in an Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQxLAM-oBBh/">post</a>. &#8220;While Dean Rashad has acknowledged in her follow-up tweet that victims must be heard and believed, her initial tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault.&#8221; Howard also said personal positions of University leadership do not reflect its policies.
In a <a href="https://twitter.com/ConstandAndrea/status/1410347835086811139?s=20">statement</a> posted on Twitter, Constand expressed her disappointment with the Court’s decision, saying it may “discourage those who seek justice for sexual assault in the criminal justice system from reporting or participating in the prosecution of the assailant or may force a victim to choose between filing either a criminal or civil action.&#8221;
&#8220;On the one hand, the Court acknowledged that the former District Attorney&#8217;s decision not to prosecute Mr. Cosby was not a formal agreement and constituted at best a unilateral exercise of prosecutorial discretion not to prosecute at the time,” she went on. &#8220;The Court also acknowledged that it agreed with the lower court&#8217;s credibility determinations, but nevertheless precluded a future prosecution, which included additional evidence developed in the civil case.&#8221;
Cosby shared his own <a href="https://twitter.com/BillCosby/status/1410359498162769926?s=20">message</a> to Twitter on news of his release: “I have never changed my stance nor my story,” he said. “I have always maintained my innocence. Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law.”
“The Cosby Show,” which was the most popular sitcom of the 80s, ran for eight seasons on NBC. Rashad played the role of Claire Huxtable, Cosby’s wife, during its entire run. The other members of the cast, including Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Tempestt Bledsoe, have not commented about his release.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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