Five women have sued actor Bill Cosby over alleged sexual assault dating back to 1969, claiming that “America’s dad” groped, drugged and raped them in the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the aging, once-beloved actor.
In a lawsuit filed in a New York state court on Monday, actresses Lili Bernard and Eden Tirl who appeared on “The Cosby Show” along with Jewel Gittens, Jennifer Thompson and Cindra Ladd accuse the 85-year-old Cosby of posing as a mentor who “used his power, fame, and prestige” in “a nefarious, horrific way” in order to have his way with them.
The suit has been filed under New York’s new Adult Survivors Act that was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this year which opens a one-year window allowing for historic rape and sexual assault cases to be filed, that window officially opened on November 24.
In addition to the actor/comedian, the women are also suing the New York City studio where “The Cosby Show” was filmed along with NBCUniversal, claiming that the companies “enabled and aided” the alleged sexual assaults.
“Over the course of several decades, Bill Cosby engaged in the serial sexual assault of dozens of women for his sexual gratification while the co-defendants enabled and aided these sexual assaults to benefit financially by their association with Bill Cosby,” according to the lawsuit.
(Video: CBS Philadelphia)
“I am grateful to New York State to be able to stand with my fellow survivors as we support each other in our quest for justice,” Bernard said in a statement. “I also encourage all other survivors to stand up and have their voices heard. Collectively, by holding our abusers accountable for their actions, we can set an example for future generations and make this world a safer place.”
The lawsuit comes after Cosby was freed from prison last year when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction for allegedly drugging and raping a woman in 2004, ruling that his rights to due process had been violated, effectively erasing one of the biggest early wins for the #MeToo movement.
“This is an important step toward holding Bill Cosby and his enablers accountable for their actions and finding some measure of justice for the women they have harmed. We are thankful for the plaintiffs in this lawsuit and other similarly situated women for their bravery in facing their abusers,” said attorney Jordan Rutsky who represents the plaintiffs.
Cosby’s longtime representative Andrew Wyatt called the lawsuit “frivolous” in a statement, saying that the women had been part of a “parade of accusers” brought forth by acclaimed women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred.
“These alleged accusers were once represented by [Attorney Gloria Allred] and were a part of parade of accusers back in 2014 through 2016. 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,” he said. “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.”
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Republished with permission from American Wire News Service
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Chris Donaldson is an ordinary American who is concerned about rampant corruption as well as the ongoing attacks on our way of life by those who have contempt for our hard-earned freedoms. A Navy veteran, he has been a frequent contributor to conservative websites and resides in Florida.
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